中文
한국어15. I Heal My Own Body : The Scientific Basis of Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture appears to work through various pathways.
The July issue of Nature Neuroscience published a new mechanism explaining acupuncture’s analgesic effect:
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Cells in the tissue stimulated by acupuncture release ATP outside the cell.
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ATP is converted into adenosine by enzymes such as PAP.
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Adenosine binds to receptors (A1R) on pain-sensing neurons, sending signals that suppress chronic pain. Adenosine is then reabsorbed into cells through membrane channel proteins.
In the 1960s, Dr. Kim Bonghan, a North Korean scholar abducted to the North, was the first to propose that animals have a third circulatory system besides nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatics. In 2010, a research team from Seoul National University stained vessels with special techniques and discovered a structure similar to Kim’s Bonghan ducts.
This system did not show markers typical of lymphatic vessels, confirming it as a third distinct system, different from both lymph and blood vessels. In 2000, Germany conducted a large-scale clinical trial to establish the basis for insurance coverage of acupuncture. After 8 weeks of treatment, outstanding effects were demonstrated in migraine, chronic lower back pain, and knee osteoarthritis.
| Circulatory System | Contents | Function | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| First circulatory system | Cardiovascular system | Blood | Transport oxygen, nutrients |
| First circulatory system | Lymphatic system | Lymphocytes | Immunity |
| Third circulatory system | Bonghan meridian | Sanal (life eggs) | Cellular regeneration |
Acupuncture is a traditional Eastern treatment that maximizes the natural healing power within the body, has almost no side effects, and is cost-effective. Compared to Korea, Western countries and China have actively validated acupuncture and applied it widely in medical fields.
‘Nature Neuroscience’ 7월호에는 침의 진통효과를 설명하는 새로운 메커니즘이 실렸다.
➊ 침의 자극을 받은 조직의 세포는 ATP를 세포 밖으로 내보낸다.
➋ ATP는 PAP를 비롯한 여러 효소의 작용으로 아데노신으로 바뀐다.
➌ 아데노신은 통각 수용뉴런의 수용체(A1R)에 달라붙어 만성통증을 억제하는 신호를 보낸다. 아데노신은 세포막 통로 단백질을 통해 세포 안으로 재흡수된다.
1960년대 북한의 납북학자 김봉한 박사는 동물의 몸에는 신경과 혈관, 림프계 이외에 제 3의 관이 있다고 최초로 주장하였는데, 이어 2010년 서울대학교 연구진이 봉한관과 비슷한 특성을 가진 관을 특수기법으로 염색하여 발견했다.
이 관은 림프관에서 나타나는 특정 마커가 나타나지 않아 림프관과도 다르고 혈관과도 다른 제3의 체계임이 확인되었다고 한다. 2000년 독일에서는 침 치료의 보험 지급에 대한 근거를 제고하기 위해 대규모 임상연구를 하였는데, 8주간의 침 치료결과, 편두통, 만성 요통, 슬관절염 등에서 탁월한 효과를 입증하였다.
