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Acupuncture's Molecular Effects Pinned Down: New Insights Spur Effort to Boost Treatment's Impact Significantly
针刺疗法的分子效应被确认：新认识使针刺疗法倍增发展新动力
译者：Docofsoul
ScienceDaily (May 31, 2010) — Scientists have taken another important step toward understanding just how sticking needles into the body can ease pain.
《每日科学》2010年5月31日报道 ——小小的银针何以能够镇痛？目前科学家在这个医疗领域的认识方面迈出了重要一步。
In a paper published online May 30 in Nature Neuroscience, a team at the University of Rochester Medical Center identifies the molecule adenosine as a central player in parlaying some of the effects of acupuncture in the body. Building on that knowledge, scientists were able to triple the beneficial effects of acupuncture in mice by adding a medication approved to treat leukemia in people.
相关论文5月30日在线发表于《Nature Neuroscience》（《自然—神经科学》）。美国罗彻斯特大学医学中心的一个研究小组证实腺苷分子在强化针刺对躯体的作用中扮演了中心角色。并且，在这个认识的基础上，科学家通过在鼠模型的实验中添加应用于治疗白血病的药品，使得针刺的正面效应增加到原来的三倍。
The research focuses on adenosine, a natural compound known for its role in regulating sleep, for its effects on the heart, and for its anti-inflammatory properties. But adenosine also acts as a natural painkiller, becoming active in the skin after an injury to inhibit nerve signals and ease pain in a way similar to lidocaine.
本研究的焦点在于腺苷。腺苷是天然化合物，其调节睡眠的作用、对心脏的影响以及抗炎性质均耳熟能详。但是腺苷也是一种天然的镇痛剂。受伤后皮肤上的腺苷会变得很活跃，以此来抑制神经信号并缓解疼痛；其缓解方式与利多卡因的作用方式相似。
In the current study, scientists found that the chemical is also very active in deeper tissues affected by acupuncture. The Rochester researchers looked at the effects of acupuncture on the peripheral nervous system -- the nerves in our body that aren't part of the brain and spinal cord. The research complements a rich, established body of work showing that in the central nervous system, acupuncture creates signals that cause the brain to churn out natural pain-killing endorphins.
在目前的研究中，科学家发现：由于针刺的作用，该化学物在深层组织中也很活跃。罗彻斯特的研究者观察了针刺对周围神经系统的作用（周围神经系统指大脑与脊髓之外的神经系统）。研究者又做了大量的获得广泛认同的研究工作，从而成功揭示：在中枢神经系统中，针刺可产生信号使得大脑分泌有自然镇痛功效的腺苷。
The new findings add to the scientific heft underlying acupuncture, said neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., who led the research. Her team is presenting the work at a scientific meeting, Purines 2010, in Barcelona, Spain.
研究小组组长、神经科学家、医学博士Maiken Nedergaard说新的发现为针刺疗法增添了科学份量。她的小组正向在西班牙巴塞罗那召开的2010全球嘌呤科学会议（Purines 2010）提交这一研究报告。
"Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment in certain parts of the world for 4,000 years, but because it has not been understood completely, many people have remained skeptical," said Nedergaard, co-director of the University's Center for Translational Neuromedicine, where the research was conducted.
“4000年来，针刺疗法一直是世界上一些国家与地区医学疗法的中流砥柱。但是因为未被完全理解，许多人对此该疗法的有效性表示怀疑。” 该大学转译神经医学中心（本研究即为该中心所完成）协同主管Nedergaard.说。
"In this work, we provide information about one physical mechanism through which acupuncture reduces pain in the body," she added.
“在本研究工作中，我们提供了有关针刺减少身体疼痛的生理机制信息。”她补充说。
To do the experiment, the team performed acupuncture treatments on mice that had discomfort in one paw. The mice each received a 30-minute acupuncture treatment at a well known acupuncture point near the knee, with very fine needles rotated gently every five minutes, much as is done in standard acupuncture treatments with people.
The team made a number of observations regarding adenosine:
In mice with normal functioning levels of adenosine, acupuncture reduced discomfort by two-thirds.
为完成这一实验，研究小组选择了有一只鼠爪不适的小白鼠作为实验对象，并对小鼠实施了针刺疗法。针刺部位是一个接近膝部的著名穴位，每次针刺治疗时间为 30分钟。所用的针非常细，并且在针刺时轻柔手法捻转5分钟（跟人接受针刺治疗时的情形很相似）。研究小组对腺苷水平作了观察。对于有正常的腺苷功能水平的小鼠而言，针刺减少其不适感程度达到2/3。
In special "adenosine receptor knock-out mice" not equipped with the adenosine receptor, acupuncture had no effect.
在“腺苷受体被敲除的小白鼠”中（也就是说这些小鼠没有腺苷受体），针刺疗法无效。
When adenosine was turned on in the tissues, discomfort was reduced even without acupuncture.
当腺苷在组织中出现时，甚至不再进行针刺，不适感也减少了。
During and immediately after an acupuncture treatment, the level of adenosine in the tissues near the needles was 24 times greater than before the treatment.
接受针刺疗法期间及结束后即时，接近针刺点（针刺穴位）的组织中的腺苷水平是治疗前的24倍。
Once scientists recognized adenosine's role, the team explored the effects of a cancer drug called deoxycoformycin, which makes it harder for the tissue to remove adenosine. The compound boosted the effects of acupuncture treatment dramatically, nearly tripling the accumulation of adenosine in the muscles and more than tripling the length of time the treatment was effective.
当科学家们认识到腺苷在针刺中所起的作用后，研究小组立即着手探索一种叫做脱氧柯福霉素的抗癌药物的作用，该药可使组织消除腺苷的难度变得更大。结果是：该化学物戏剧性地增强了针刺治疗效果，使得肌肉中积累的腺苷多了近三倍，而针刺有效作用持续时间则多出三倍以上。
"It's clear that acupuncture may activate a number of different mechanisms," said Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. "This carefully performed study identifies adenosine as a new player in the process. It's an interesting contribution to our growing understanding of the complex intervention which is acupuncture," added Briggs, who is the spouse of co-author Jurgen Schnermann.
美国国家卫生研究院国家代偿和替代医学技术中心主任、医学博士Josephine P. Briggs 说：“很清楚，针刺可能激发了多种不同的机制。这项严谨的实验证实了针刺过程中腺苷扮演了一个新的角色。我们对针刺这种复杂的干预手段的理解日益增进的，而本研究的发现对这种理解来说有着非常有趣的贡献意义。” Briggs是Jurgen Schnermann这位论文的共同作者的人生伴侣。
The paper includes three first co-authors: Nanna Goldman, technical associate Michael Chen, and post-doctoral associate Takumi Fujita. Other authors from Rochester include Qiwu Xu; medical student Tina Jensen; former student Wei Liu and former post-doctoral associate Yong Pei; assistant professors Takahiro Takano and Kim Tieu; and research assistant professors Weiguo Peng, Fushun Wang, Xiaoning Han, and Lane Bekar. Also contributing were Jiang-Fan Chen from Boston University and Jürgen Schnermann from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
本论文有三位共同第一作者：Nanna Goldman，技术副手Michael Chen，与博士后副手Takumi Fujita。其他来自罗彻斯特的作者包括（翻译从略）
Funding for the work came from the New York State Spinal Cord Injury Program and the National Institutes of Health.
纽约州脊髓损伤计划与国家卫生研究院为本研究提供了资金。
（Dcofosoul 译于 2010-6-1） |
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发表于 2010-7-17 11:21
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