Changes in Blood Fluidity Caused by Electroacupuncture Stimulation

Abstract

In Oriental medicine, the state of blood stagnation is called "Oketsu," meaning preceding state or symptomatic of sickness. Acupuncture stimulation is often used clinically for the treatment of "Oketsu." The degree of "Oketsu" is indicated by tongue color and form, swelling, paroxysmal blushing, and dark circles under the eyes. The blood's fluidity is generally thought to be a blood stagnation factor. "Oketsu" is now considered as physiological blood flow and is studied from the perspective of the blood's fluidity and vascular resistance. In our preliminary research, acupuncture stimuli were very effective in treating conditions associated with a decrease in the fluidity of the blood, such as "Oketsu." In this review, we discuss recent progress in acupuncture therapy and report mechanisms of its action; we then focus on our original findings on these topics. Furthermore, we propose new factors related to acupuncture stimuli, including the blood's fluidity, and report our investigations, using the restraint stress method, on the mechanisms underlying acupuncture stimuli.

Assessing the efficacy of a tongue image analyzing system (TIAS) for the objective diagnosis of static blood: An observational, retrospective, single‐center study of Japanese Kampo medicine

“…The SB state can be evaluated by the criteria presented by Terasawa et al [5], and the diagnostic criteria are popularly called the SB score (Table 1). Recent studies have demonstrated that SB is correlated with a deterioration of erythrocyte deformability [6], an elevation in blood viscosity [7], acceleration of erythrocyte aggregation [8], blood fluidity [9][10][11], autonomic nervous activity changes [12], and microcirculatory dysfunction [13]. In this way, the pathological conditions of SB have been clarified scientifically.…”

The Effect of Electroacupuncture on Plasma Fibrinogen Levels in Restraint Stress Wistar Rats

“…6 Decreasing blood fluidity can cause circulatory-system disorders-such as arterial sclerosis or embolization-and cause vascular endothelial-cell damage due to hypertension; degradation of glucose tolerance; chronic inflammation; degradation of blood-vessel flexibility due to hyperlipidemia and aging; weakness of blood cells; and plasma plasticity degradation. 7 Currently, blood viscosity is known as cardiovascular disease (CVD) indicators for peripheral arterial disease, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and crescent anemia. 8 Anticoagulant or antithrombotic therapy is often used in patients with a risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) who are either hospitalized or who will undergo an examination or therapy procedure.…”

Keishibukuryogan, a Traditional Japanese Medicine, Inhibits Platelet Aggregation in Guinea Pig Whole Blood

“…In addition, the disturbances are also caused by various factors such as increased blood viscosity, active oxygen species, decreased erythrocyte deformability, coagulation/fibrinolysis system, and adhesion factors. In Kampo medicine (traditional Japanese medicine), these complex microcirculatory disturbances are referred to as oketsu (impaired microcirculation) [ 1 , 2 ]. Keishibukuryogan (KBG), tokishakuyakusan (TSS), and kamisyoyosan (KSS) have been used as oketsu-improving drugs (antioketsu drugs), with KBG particularly showing potent improving effects [ 3 , 4 ].…”