Tribute to Prof. Geoffrey Burnstock: his contribution to acupuncture

Abstract

As the creator of purinergic signalling [1], Prof. Geoffrey Burnstock (1929-2020) [2] also made important contributions to the science of acupuncture (AP). AP family procedures include mechanical needling, electroacupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, etc. [3]. His insightful hypothesis on the natural scientific basis of AP in 2009 [4] led to an explosion of research worldwide that aimed to explaining how purinergic signalling contributes to AP. The development of our understanding on AP-induced analgesia has been elaborately documented in the past [5-7]; hence, in this article, we summarize Geoff's distinguished contribution to, and profound impact on, AP and also disclose some personal accounts of his impact on our personal careers in specific, and on the Chinese AP community on a larger scale.

5-Hydroxytryptamine, Glutamate, and ATP: Much More Than Neurotransmitters

“…To our knowledge the first ATP/acupuncture link was established by Smith and Kenyon (1973) and the first adenosine/acupuncture links were established by Liu et al (1994a,b). Acupuncture leads to the release of ATP that acts on P2 receptors to produce, among other, analgesia (Burnstock, 2013;Tang et al, 2016Tang et al, , 2019Tang and Illes, 2020). The subsequent conversion of ATP to adenosine leads to the participation of proximally located P1 receptors (Trento et al, 2021).…”

Editorial: Purinergic signalling — a perspective from China

“…Prof. Geoffrey Burnstock had a great interest in the research field of traditional Chinese medicine and proposed a role for purinergic signalling in acupuncture [11][12][13][14]. He recognized the significance of this alternative therapeutic option and helped to pave its unraveling from mysticism to a natural scientific discipline.…”