Objective: This study employed knowledge graph (KG) construction and graph data mining techniques to systematically elucidate Dan-an CHENG’s academic experience in acupuncture diagnosis and treatment as well as explore latent therapeutic patterns and inherent correlations embedded in his medical records, to provide a reference for the quantitative analysis and digital preservation of acupuncture case literature. Methods: Using 467 medical records from the Dan-an CHENG’s Acupuncture and Moxibustion Experience Collection as the study dataset, clinical entities and semantic relationships were extracted from the texts. Following the structured “Diagnosis–Prescription–Technique” framework, the Dan-an CHENG Knowledge Graph (DaCKG) was constructed, with the Neo4j graph database supporting the storage, retrieval, and visualization of acupuncture diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge. Graph algorithms from the Graph Data Science (GDS) library were applied to analyze the associations among diseases, syndromes, and core needling and moxibustion techniques (NMT). The analysis incorporated treatment intervention timing, stimulation intensity, needle insertion depth, stimulation duration, and reinforcing and reducing manipulations to identify latent therapeutic patterns. Results: The DaCKG integrated the diagnostic, prescription, and technical dimensions of acupuncture. The ontology schema defined 10 entity categories and 23 semantic relationships, and the final KG comprised 4,843 nodes and 20,987 relationships, enabling multidimensional correlation retrieval and visualization across diseases, syndromes, acupoints, and manipulations. Analysis using GDS algorithms demonstrated that Dan-an CHENG’s acupuncture prescriptions do not conform to fixed paradigms, but form a dynamic treatment system guided by syndrome differentiation, in which different NMT is applied to different acupoints within a single prescription, and varied NMT regimens are adopted for the same acupoint when treating different diseases and syndromes; importantly, reinforcing and reducing manipulations act as the stable core technique across prescriptions, while parameters including needle insertion depth, stimulation intensity, and treatment intervention time are dynamically adjusted in line with syndrome types and disease stages. Conclusion: Dan-an CHENG’s acupuncture prescriptions use syndrome differentiation as the fundamental guideline, adhering to stable core therapeutic principles while allowing flexible clinical adjustments. His NMT was adjusted according to syndrome patterns, and his prescription formulations exhibited both regularity and individualized variation. The DaCKG transformed unstructured medical records into structured diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge. It provides a computable platform for the digital preservation of Dan-an CHENG’s academic experience but also offers a methodological reference for the collation and knowledge mining of medical records from renowned acupuncture experts.
Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture at combined he -sea and front- mu points combined with conventional Western medicine in treating chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and to observe its effects on histopathological changes of the gastric mucosa. Methods: A total of 66 CAG volunteers were enrolled and randomly assigned to an electroacupuncture group (33 cases) or a sham electroacupuncture group (33 cases), with 60 volunteers (30 per group) completing the study. Both groups received oral Western medicine for 2 weeks and lifestyle guidance as routine treatment. The electroacupuncture group additionally received electroacupuncture at main points selected according to the principle of combined he -sea and front- mu points: Zhongwan (CV 12) and bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), with electrodes attached to Zhongwan (CV 12) and left Zusanli (ST 36), using dense-sparse wave at 2/10 Hz, current 1–2 mA; adjunct points were bilateral Neiguan (PC 6), Tanzhong (CV 17), and bilateral Taichong (LR 3). Treatments were given for 30 min per session, twice weekly, for 20 weeks. The sham electroacupuncture group received superficial needling at points 1 cm lateral to the true acupoints, with electrodes connected but no current output, for the same duration and frequency. Outcomes included gastric mucosal histopathological scores, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) gastrointestinal symptom scores, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-100 (QOL-100) scale. Assessments were performed at baseline, at weeks 5, 10, 20, and at 3 months post-treatment; gastroscopy and histopathological examination were performed at baseline and week 20. Results: After treatment, gastric mucosal histopathological scores decreased in both groups, but the reduction was significant only in the electroacupuncture group ( P < 0.01 vs. baseline), and the decrease was significantly greater than in the sham group ( P < 0.01). Both groups showed reduced TCM gastrointestinal symptom scores at week 20 and at follow-up compared with baseline: in the electroacupuncture group, week 20 ( P < 0.001) and follow-up ( P < 0.01); in the sham group, week 20 ( P < 0.01) and follow-up ( P < 0.05). At week 20, the electroacupuncture group had significantly lower TCM gastrointestinal symptom scores than the sham group ( P < 0.05), but the difference was not maintained at follow-up ( P > 0.05). QOL-100 scores significantly improved in both groups at week 20 and follow-up ( P < 0.001 vs. baseline). In the electroacupuncture group, QOL-100 scores at follow-up declined from post-treatment levels ( P < 0.001) but remained higher than baseline; in the sham group, there was no significant difference between follow-up and post-treatment ( P > 0.05). At both week 20 and follow-up, the electroacupuncture group showed significantly higher QOL-100 scores than the sham group ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: Electroacupuncture at combined he -sea and front- mu points can improve clinical symptoms, enhance quality of life, and ameliorate gastric mucosal status in CAG patients, with relatively stable therapeutic effects.
Objectives To present an evidence map of acupuncture treatment for neurological disorders. Methods We conducted an evidence mapping review. Systematic reviews (SRs) on acupuncture for neurological disorders were searched in PubMed and the Cochrane Library up to July 29, 2025. Eligible reviews were analyzed for type of disease, intervention, control type, conclusion direction, and evidence certainty, with findings visualized in an evidence matrix. Results This evidence map synthesized 204 SRs covering 18 neurological conditions, with research mainly focused on stroke-related sequelae, headache disorders, and Parkinson’s disease. Of the 18 neurological conditions, eight consistently showed positive results (e.g., cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury), while only two: vascular dementia and multiple sclerosis, were entirely negative. The remaining eight had mixed findings depending on condition subtype, acupuncture type, and comparison design. Notably, “add-on” studies (acupuncture plus usual care) produced the most consistent positive outcomes. However, 110 (out of 158) conclusions lacked formal evidence assessment. High-quality evidence was limited, with moderate to high certainty support found for ischemic stroke, several post-stroke impairments, migraine, tension-type headache, peripheral neuropathic pain, facial paralysis, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and occipital neuralgia. Conclusions and implications This evidence map shows a generally positive trend for acupuncture across 18 neurological conditions. However most conditions have low or ungraded evidence, highlighting the need for high-quality trials and subgroup analyses by condition, acupuncture type, and control design.
Objective: To explore the research hotspots and frontier trends in the field of acupuncture for obesity and metabolic syndrome from 2006 to 2025, thereby providing researchers with a clear understanding of the knowledge domain and developmental trajectory. Methods: Relevant publications on acupuncture for obesity and metabolic syndrome were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. A visual analysis was conducted using Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to construct a knowledge map of hotspots and frontiers. The analysis encompassed multiple dimensions, including annual publication output, highly productive countries and institutions, core authors, journals and highly cited publications analysis, keyword co-occurrence, and emerging thematic trends. Results: A total of 372 publications were included over the past 2 decades, demonstrating a yearly upward trend in annual publications with an average growth rate of 8.15%. Globally, 35 countries contributed to this field. China ranked first in both publication volume (267 publications) and total citations (3653 citations), while Japan achieved the highest average citations per publication (41.4 citations). A total of 284 institutions participated in relevant research, with Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine publishing the most publications (34 publications). Among the 1801 authors contributing to this domain, Wei HUANG had the highest number of publications (9 publications). Medicine led the 123 journals publishing related research with the highest output (42 publications). High-frequency keywords in this field include acupuncture, electroacupuncture, weight loss, women, obesity, and insulin resistance. Cluster analysis of the keywords yielded three major thematic clusters: (1) mechanistic studies on acupuncture therapy for complex metabolic and reproductive system disorders; (2) clinical trials and systematic reviews/meta-analyses on acupuncture for obesity treatment; and (3) the application of acupuncture therapy in multisystem diseases and its underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms. Thematic analysis reveals a twofold evolution in the research frontiers of this field. In terms of research content, the field has progressively expanded from the singular validation of acupuncture’s efficacy for weight loss to multi-dimensional mechanistic elucidation, encompassing key pathways such as neuroendocrine regulation and white adipose tissue browning, and to comprehensive interventions for metabolism-related comorbidities, including metabolic regulation in obesity complicated by hypertension and polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as the management of post-bariatric weight regain. In terms of research methodology, clinical trial designs are increasingly transitioning toward high-quality randomized controlled trials featuring double-blind, sham-acupuncture controlled designs, while systematic reviews and meta-analyses have proliferated, collectively driving a hierarchical elevation of the evidence base. Conclusion: With extensive participation of scholars worldwide, research on acupuncture for obesity and metabolic syndrome has demonstrated steady growth. Clinical efficacy validation of acupuncture, acupoint catgut embedding, and auricular therapy, including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, remains a current research hotspot. Real-world interventions for comorbid conditions have emerged as an important trend, with the regulation of insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome serving as a representative example. Mechanistic research represents the most rapidly growing and scientifically frontier area, focusing on the application of acupuncture in multisystem disorders and its underlying mechanisms, particularly neuroendocrine regulation. Collectively, acupuncture interventions for obesity and metabolic syndrome are at a strategic critical juncture, transitioning from efficacy verification toward evidence building.
Objective: The exact regulatory effect of acupuncture on intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucoma remains controversial. This review aimed to evaluate the current evidence regarding the effect of acupuncture on glaucomatous IOP and to identify the factors influencing therapeutic responses. Methods: A narrative review combined with exploratory stratified analysis was conducted. Relevant clinical studies were identified and evaluated to comprehensively analyze the clinical effects and mechanisms of acupuncture in the regulation of glaucomatous IOP. Furthermore, exploratory stratified analysis was applied to investigate key variables, including baseline IOP, glaucoma subtype, acupoint selection, and stimulation parameters. Results: Acupuncture induced three modulatory effects on IOP: reduction, biphasic changes (stress-induced elevation followed by reduction), and no significant effects, with IOP reduction being the predominant pattern. The analysis revealed that this heterogeneity was primarily associated with the patients’ baseline IOP level and needle retention time; a higher baseline IOP correlated with a greater reduction, whereas when the IOP was within the normal physiological range, acupuncture produced almost no further IOP-lowering effect. Acupuncture may indirectly improve the aqueous humor circulation by improving ocular blood circulation and modulating the autonomic nervous system. However, direct cellular evidence of this is lacking. Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that acupuncture can effectively reduce pathologically elevated IOP in patients with glaucoma, particularly in those with a higher baseline IOP. However, its definitive long-term efficacy, ability to regulate 24 h IOP fluctuations, and whether it acts directly or indirectly on aqueous humor dynamics require further rigorous, large-scale clinical trials and in-depth molecular mechanistic studies.
