Influence of Age, Gender, and Race on Nitric Oxide Release over Acupuncture Points-meridians

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2015 Dec 2

PMID 26621821

Citations 8

Authors

Sheng-Xing Ma

Paul C Lee

Isabelle Jiang

Eva Ma

Jay S Hu

Xi-Yan Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study examined the influence of age, gender and race on nitric oxide (NO) release over acupuncture points, meridian without acupoint, and non-meridian regions of the Pericardium (PC) and Bladder (BL) meridian as well as aging on LU meridian in 61 healthy subjects. Biocapture tubes were attached to the skin surface, and total nitrite and nitrate was biocaptured and quantified using chemiluminescence. In elder ages compared to adults, NO levels over the ventral forearm were significantly decreased over LU on radial regions but not altered over PC on medial regions. Conversely, NO content was elevated over BL regions only in overweight/obesity of elder ages. NO levels over PC regions were marginally elevated in overweight/obese males compared to females but did not alter between races. These results suggest a selective reduction of NO release over LU meridian with aging, which is consistent with a progressive decline in lung function and increase in chronic respiratory disease in elder ages. Increased NO levels along the BL meridian in older obese subjects may reflect a modified NO level along somatic-bladder pathway for counteracting bladder dysfunctions with aging. Both of them support somatic-organ connections in the meridian system associated with potential pathophysiological changes with aging.

Citing Articles

Stimuli-evoked NOergic molecules and neuropeptides at acupuncture points and the gracile nucleus contribute to signal transduction of propagated sensation along the meridian through the dorsal medulla-thalamic pathways.

Ma S J Integr Med. 2024; 22(5):515-522.

PMID: 39214715 PMC: 11439578. DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2024.07.001.

Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines in the Treatment of Ejaculatory Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Leisegang K, Opuwari C, Moichela F, Finelli R Medicina (Kaunas). 2023; 59(9).

PMID: 37763726 PMC: 10535559. DOI: 10.3390/medicina59091607.

Mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in treating overactive bladder.

Liao Y, Du X, Fu Y, Liu L, Wei J, An Q Int Urol Nephrol. 2022; 55(3):489-501.

PMID: 36479677 PMC: 9957912. DOI: 10.1007/s11255-022-03434-8.

Low Electrical Resistance Properties of Acupoints: Roles of NOergic Signaling Molecules and Neuropeptides in Skin Electrical Conductance.

Ma S Chin J Integr Med. 2021; 27(8):563-569.

PMID: 34319572 PMC: 8651218. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-021-3318-5.

Acute Physiological and Psychological Effects of Qigong Exercise in Older Practitioners.

Lin C, Wei T, Wang C, Chen W, Wang Y, Tsai S Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2018; 2018:4960978.

PMID: 29805467 PMC: 5902057. DOI: 10.1155/2018/4960978.

References

Jou N, Ma S . Responses of nitric oxide-cGMP release in acupuncture point to electroacupuncture in human skin in vivo using dermal microdialysis. Microcirculation. 2009; 16(5):434-43. PMC: 2788483. DOI: 10.1080/10739680902915012. View

Mirmirani P, Carpenter D . Skin disorders associated with obesity in children and adolescents: a population-based study. Pediatr Dermatol. 2013; 31(2):183-90. DOI: 10.1111/pde.12271. View

Shaw L, Bugiardini R, Merz C . Women and ischemic heart disease: evolving knowledge. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009; 54(17):1561-75. PMC: 2789479. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2009.04.098. View

Oplander C, Romer A, Paunel-Gorgulu A, Fritsch T, van Faassen E, Murtz M . Dermal application of nitric oxide in vivo: kinetics, biological responses, and therapeutic potential in humans. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2012; 91(6):1074-82. DOI: 10.1038/clpt.2011.366. View

Raiszadeh M, Ross M, Russo P, Schaepper M, Zhou W, Deng J . Proteomic analysis of eccrine sweat: implications for the discovery of schizophrenia biomarker proteins. J Proteome Res. 2012; 11(4):2127-39. PMC: 3703649. DOI: 10.1021/pr2007957. View

Christ G, Bushman W, Fraser M . Impact of diabetes and obesity on the prostate and urethra: implications to improved bladder dysfunction understanding and treatment. J Urol. 2009; 182(6 Suppl):S38-44. DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2009.07.085. View

Ha Y, Kim M, Nah J, Suh M, Lee Y . Measurements of Location-Dependent Nitric Oxide Levels on Skin Surface in relation to Acupuncture Point. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012; 2012:781460. PMC: 3462424. DOI: 10.1155/2012/781460. View

Wang Z, Wu S, Cao Y, Zhu Z, Xu R . [Morphological study on the low impedance line along channels]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 1987; 12(1):82-5. View

Chan S . What is being stimulated in acupuncture: evaluation of the existence of a specific substrate. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 1984; 8(1):25-33. DOI: 10.1016/0149-7634(84)90018-6. View

10.

Paunel A, Dejam A, Thelen S, Kirsch M, Horstjann M, Gharini P . Enzyme-independent nitric oxide formation during UVA challenge of human skin: characterization, molecular sources, and mechanisms. Free Radic Biol Med. 2005; 38(5):606-15. DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2004.11.018. View

11.

Marques A, Silverman M, Sternberg E . Evaluation of stress systems by applying noninvasive methodologies: measurements of neuroimmune biomarkers in the sweat, heart rate variability and salivary cortisol. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2010; 17(3):205-8. PMC: 2917732. DOI: 10.1159/000258725. View

12.

Weitzberg E, Lundberg J . Nonenzymatic nitric oxide production in humans. Nitric Oxide. 1998; 2(1):1-7. DOI: 10.1006/niox.1997.0162. View

13.

Sharma G, Goodwin J . Effect of aging on respiratory system physiology and immunology. Clin Interv Aging. 2007; 1(3):253-60. PMC: 2695176. DOI: 10.2147/ciia.2006.1.3.253. View

14.

Giacomoni P, Mammone T, Teri M . Gender-linked differences in human skin. J Dermatol Sci. 2009; 55(3):144-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2009.06.001. View

15.

Kippenberger S, Havlicek J, Bernd A, Thaci D, Kaufmann R, Meissner M . 'Nosing Around' the human skin: what information is concealed in skin odour?. Exp Dermatol. 2012; 21(9):655-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0625.2012.01545.x. View

16.

Wang G, Ayati M, Zhang W . Meridian studies in China: a systematic review. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2010; 3(1):1-9. DOI: 10.1016/S2005-2901(10)60001-5. View

17.

Weller R, Pattullo S, Smith L, Golden M, Ormerod A, Benjamin N . Nitric oxide is generated on the skin surface by reduction of sweat nitrate. J Invest Dermatol. 1996; 107(3):327-31. DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12363167. View

18.

Chen J, Ma S . Effects of nitric oxide and noradrenergic function on skin electric resistance of acupoints and meridians. J Altern Complement Med. 2005; 11(3):423-31. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2005.11.423. View

19.

Merz C, Shaw L, Reis S, Bittner V, Kelsey S, Olson M . Insights from the NHLBI-Sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) Study: Part II: gender differences in presentation, diagnosis, and outcome with regard to gender-based pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and macrovascular and.... J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006; 47(3 Suppl):S21-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2004.12.084. View

20.

Ma S, Li X, Sakurai T, Pandjaitan M . Evidence of enhanced non-enzymatic generation of nitric oxide on the skin surface of acupuncture points: An innovative approach in humans. Nitric Oxide. 2007; 17(2):60-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2007.05.004. View