Positive Health Online

Abstract

ZHANG and COLLEAGUES, 1 Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; 2 College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029 conducted an analysis on the correlation between Meridians and Viscera in The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic.

Background

The meridians and Zangfu-organs (viscera) are two major systems in the basic theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). They were primarily emerged together in simple form possibly in the Han Dynasty shown by the unearthed silk manuscripts of Changsha Mawangdui Han Tomb, and became a systematic theory in classical book "Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic).

Methodology

After classification of the meridians' disease manifestations described in book "Ling Shu-Jing Mai" (Miraculous Pivot: Meridians) we found that more than half of the manifestations appear along the running course of meridians. The symptoms and signs of disorders of the meridians correlated with viscera which have the same name in western medicine account for approximately 10%, and the rest pathologic manifestations correlated with the viscera in terms of TCM are approximately 30%.

Results

Current researches about meridian and viscera mainly focus on viscera, particularly on the stomach and heart. The researches on meridians and viscera that use real-time effects of acupuncture as indicators have a complicated relationship with the nerve segments, which presented as that "multiple meridians control one viscus" and the specificity of meridian. Our chronic experiment about blocking the meridians suggested an association between meridian and pathologic manifestations of viscera. Physical index measurement and mathematical analysis can verify certain patterns of meridian-physical appearances, which would be a direction for future meridian research. The stabilities of visceral functions rely on negative feedback regulation, which are probably realized by way of somatic and visceral afferent and efferent nerves and volume transmission of the tissue fluid channels of meridians.

Conclusion

Therefore, signals of acupuncture stimulation of the distant acupoints might be transmitted to the central nervous system through neurohumour relay, open of the "negative feedback channels of meridians", achieving a bidirectional regulation, and at the same time, producing a phenomenon of "sensation propagated along the meridian" during signal transmission.

References

Wei-Bo Zhang  1 , Yan-Ping Wang  2 , Hong-Yan Li  1. [Analysis on Correlation Between Meridians and Viscera in Book The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic] [Article in Chinese] Zhen Ci Yan Jiu.  ;43(7):424-9. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.180185. Jul 25 2018.