SCIENCE DIRECT LUMINESCENCE ELSEVIER Journal of Luminescence 119-120(2006)96-99 www.elsevier.comple Photoluminescence of acupoint"Waiqiu"in human superficial fascia Yuan Zhang, Xiaohui Yan, Chenglin Liu, Ruishan Dang, Xinyi Zhang Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Department of Physics, Surface Physics Laboratory (State Key Laboratory) of Fudan Second Military Medical Unirersity, shanghai PR China Shanghai Research Center of Acupuncture and Meridian, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, PR China Available online 15 February 2006 Abstract The spectral characters of an acupuncture poir photoluminescence(PL) spectroscopy under the oint nam Waiqiu"in superficial fascia tissue have been studied by of 457.9 nm. The PL around"Waiqiu" acupuncture point consists of two sub-bands resulting from the favin dinucleotide(FAD) and phospholipids, and the porphyrins (including purine, isoxanthopterin and tryptophan), respectively. More emission due to FAD and phospholipids is found inside the acupuncture effect area of"Waiqiu"than its marginal or outside acupuncture regions. The ratio of emission intensity of FAD and phospholipids to one of porphyrins gradually decreases along the direction away fror the center of the acupuncture point. It implies that the component proportion changes between FAD, phospholipid and porphyrins around the "Waiqiu"acupuncture point. We suggest that there might be a certain relationship between redox function of FAD and""Waiqiu"acupuncture effect. C 2006 Elsevier B.v. All rights reserved Keywords: Photoluminescence: Waiqiu"acupoint; Superficial fascia; FAD 1. Introduction and currently it has also popularized in western countries owing to some distinctive merits such as As we all know that the traditional Chinese good curative effect for certain kinds of syndromes, acupuncture is a medical treasure in oriental culture small side-effect for patients and low cost. Long before two thousand years, doctors have known very well about the concept of acupuncture rresponding author. Synchrotron Radiation Researd Center, Department of Physics, Surface Physics Laboratory (or abbreviated as acupoints). These points (State Key Laboratory) of Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, bute regularly in whole human body along several PR China.Tel.:+862165643522. specific longitudinal lines or pathways, which are E-mailaddress:xy.zhang@fudan.edu.cn(X.Zhang) named meridians or "Jingluo" in Chinese. As the 0022-2313/S-see front matter C 2006 Elsevier B.v. All rights reserved i:l0.l016 jalumin2005.12.051
Journal of Luminescence 119–120 (2006) 96–99 Photoluminescence of acupoint ‘‘Waiqiu’’ in human superficial fascia Yuan Zhanga , Xiaohui Yana , Chenglin Liua , Ruishan Dangb , Xinyi Zhanga,c, a Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Department of Physics, Surface Physics Laboratory (State Key Laboratory) of Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China b Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, PR China c Shanghai Research Center of Acupuncture and Meridian, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, PR China Available online 15 February 2006 Abstract The spectral characters of an acupuncture point named ‘‘Waiqiu’’ in superficial fascia tissue have been studied by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy under the excitation of 457.9 nm. The PL around ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupuncture point consists of two sub-bands resulting from the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and phospholipids, and the porphyrins (including purine, isoxanthopterin and tryptophan), respectively. More emission due to FAD and phospholipids is found inside the acupuncture effect area of ‘‘Waiqiu’’ than its marginal or outside acupuncture regions. The ratio of emission intensity of FAD and phospholipids to one of porphyrins gradually decreases along the direction away from the center of the acupuncture point. It implies that the component proportion changes between FAD, phospholipids and porphyrins around the ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupuncture point. We suggest that there might be a certain relationship between redox function of FAD and ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupuncture effect. r 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Photoluminescence; ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupoint; Superficial fascia; FAD 1. Introduction As we all know that the traditional Chinese acupuncture is a medical treasure in oriental culture and currently it has also popularized in western countries owing to some distinctive merits such as good curative effect for certain kinds of syndromes, small side-effect for patients and low cost. Long before two thousand years, doctors have known very well about the concept of acupuncture points (or abbreviated as acupoints). These points distribute regularly in whole human body along several specific longitudinal lines or pathways, which are named meridians or ‘‘Jingluo’’ in Chinese. As the ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/jlumin 0022-2313/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jlumin.2005.12.051 Corresponding author. Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Department of Physics, Surface Physics Laboratory (State Key Laboratory) of Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China. Tel.: +86 21 65643522. E-mail address: xy-zhang@fudan.edu.cn (X. Zhang)
Y. Zhang et al./Journal of Luminescence 119-120(2006)96-99 cupoint is stimulated by a needle, i.e. acupunc tured, the patient will perceive various feelings including distent, tingling and aching. These kinds of feelings are totally called the needle sensation or Deqi"in Chinese. Doctors could accurately locate positions of corresponding acupoints for one particular disease(sometimes to find the acupoints perficial fascia by feelings of"Deqi"of the patient) and then carry out operations, i.e. acupuncture. Innumerable pa tients have got well by acupuncture. For one specific acupoint, the needle sensation begins at the skin and ends in the periosteum or interosseous membrane, and the degree of needle sensation changes in different depths of the needle. According to the needle sensation doctors and researchers have also found the anatomical structures of some acupoint Fibula [1, 2 ] therefore, we can say that the acupoints have three-dimensional structures. Nevertheless the me- chanism of the cure of diseases is still not well Fig. 1. Sketch of the "Waiqiu"acupoint; the location of known. Even the structure and the composition of"Waiqiu"and the superficial fascia tissue that we take as a these acupoints are uncertainty. In recent years, sample are shown by the arrows some researchers using different methods probe the basic compositions and the physiological mechan- ism of acupuncture [3). X-ray fluorescence analyses methods are mainly used to explore trace elements by a dissector in the Second Military Medica characteristic of acupoints. One kind of X-ray University in Shanghai. It has a dimension of fluorescence methods, the proton-induced X-rays80×50×0.5mm3(L×W×T), approximately,in emission(PIXe)has been used, and the concentra- the middle of which is the acupoint"Waiqiu tion of calcium is always found high within the Normally, the effective area of an acupoint has acupoints [4] a diameter of about 3-5 mm. We can only know In this paper, we take "Waiqiu"acupoint in the approximate position of the acupoint from superficial fascia of human crus as an example and the dissector; therefore, we detected the concentra use the photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy to tion of Ca by PiXe in order to determine more characterize the acpoint in order to know the precisely the position and the effective area spectral and, hence, the compositional differences of"Waiqiu"in our specimen. This tissue was between acupoint and outside acupoint region preserved in a sanitary pledget with formalin The sample surface is flat enough for relative luminescence intensity comparisons. During the 2. Experimental PL measurements the specimen was stuck to a controllable sample stage, with which we can easily The"Waiqiu'acupoint locates in human crus, measure the PL from different positions at the and its anatomic structures are from skin, hypo- sample. The PL spectra were carried out at the derm, then superficial fascia and fascia profunda, Jobin Y vons spectrometer U1000. The Coherent through muscles and end in fibula periosteum. We Inc's Innova 70-5 argon ion laser was used rficial fas here the acupoint the excitation source. In our experiments, excita Waiqiu"is located as our sample. It is a relatively tions under 488.0 or 457.9 nm with a fixed power shallow part of the"Waiqiuacupoint, as shown of about 40 mw were used. The beam size of the in Fig. 1. This tissue was dissected from the dead incident light is about 0.3 mm. The origin70
acupoint is stimulated by a needle, i.e. acupunctured, the patient will perceive various feelings including distent, tingling and aching. These kinds of feelings are totally called the needle sensation or ‘‘Deqi’’ in Chinese. Doctors could accurately locate positions of corresponding acupoints for one particular disease (sometimes to find the acupoints by feelings of ‘‘Deqi’’ of the patient) and then carry out operations, i.e. acupuncture. Innumerable patients have got well by acupuncture. For one specific acupoint, the needle sensation begins at the skin and ends in the periosteum or interosseous membrane, and the degree of needle sensation changes in different depths of the needle. According to the needle sensation doctors and researchers have also found the anatomical structures of some acupoints [1,2]; therefore, we can say that the acupoints have three-dimensional structures. Nevertheless, the mechanism of the cure of diseases is still not well known. Even the structure and the composition of these acupoints are uncertainty. In recent years, some researchers using different methods probe the basic compositions and the physiological mechanism of acupuncture [3]. X-ray fluorescence analyses methods are mainly used to explore trace elements characteristic of acupoints. One kind of X-ray fluorescence methods, the proton-induced X-rays emission (PIXE) has been used, and the concentration of calcium is always found high within the acupoints [4]. In this paper, we take ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupoint in superficial fascia of human crus as an example and use the photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy to characterize the acpoint in order to know the spectral and, hence, the compositional differences between acupoint and outside acupoint regions. 2. Experimental The ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupoint locates in human crus, and its anatomic structures are from skin, hypoderm, then superficial fascia and fascia profunda, through muscles and end in fibula periosteum. We use a superficial fascia tissue where the acupoint ‘‘Waiqiu’’ is located as our sample. It is a relatively shallow part of the ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupoint, as shown in Fig. 1. This tissue was dissected from the dead by a dissector in the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai. It has a dimension of 80 50 0.5 mm3 (L W T), approximately, in the middle of which is the acupoint ‘‘Waiqiu’’. Normally, the effective area of an acupoint has a diameter of about 3–5 mm. We can only know the approximate position of the acupoint from the dissector; therefore, we detected the concentration of Ca by PIXE in order to determine more precisely the position and the effective area of ‘‘Waiqiu’’ in our specimen. This tissue was preserved in a sanitary pledget with formalin. The sample surface is flat enough for relative luminescence intensity comparisons. During the PL measurements the specimen was stuck to a controllable sample stage, with which we can easily measure the PL from different positions at the sample. The PL spectra were carried out at the Jobin Yvon’s spectrometer U1000. The Coherent Inc.’s InnovaTM 70-5 argon ion laser was used as the excitation source. In our experiments, excitations under 488.0 or 457.9 nm with a fixed power of about 40 mW were used. The beam size of the incident light is about 0.3 mm. The OriginTM 7.0 ARTICLE IN PRESS Fig. 1. Sketch of the ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupoint; the location of ‘‘Waiqiu’’ and the superficial fascia tissue that we take as a sample are shown by the arrows. Y. Zhang et al. / Journal of Luminescence 119– 120 (2006) 96–99 97
Y. Zhang et al. /Journal of Luminescence 119-120(2006 )96-99 software was used to smooth the raw data and for shows the PL spectra under the excitation of other calculations 457.9 nm, and curves A, B, C, D and E correspond recorded at points A, B, C, D and e, respectively. It can be seen, obviously, that the 3. Results and discussion ratio between intensities of the two sub-bands varies gradually from spectrum A to spectrum E The PL spectra near the center of"Waiqiu'are as shown in Fig 4. Consequently, we could come lown in Fig. 2, in which curves A and B represent to the conclusion that, compared to the porphyr the spectra obtained under the excitation of 457.9 or 488.0 nm, respectively. The emission spectrum corresponding to the excitation of 457.9 nm con- sists of two sub-bands peaked at about 525 and 70000 590nm, respectively, as shown by curve A, while 360000 the 488.0 nm is used as the excitation light: the spectrum is of two sub-bands structure as well, but 50000 the sub-band in the higher energy side is obviously weaker than the other one(see curve b in Fig. 2) The sub-band around 525 nm can be attributed to the fluorescence of flavin adenine dinucleotide FAD)and phospholipids(one kind of lipids). On 3 10000 the other hand, the sub-band peak at about 590 nm might be attributed to the fluorescence of porphyrins, including purine, isoxanthopterin and Our pre-designed sampling points were marked Fig. 3. Photoluminescence spectra of the sample inside the with A. B. C. d and e, as shown in the inset of effective acupuncture area and its outside. Curves A, B. C, D and E are measured from different po Fig. 3. These points are along the direction away upper-right circle Positions A, B, C and D are in the effective from the center of the acupoint to its marginal area of""and e is outside the acupoint rea,and the point e is already outside the effective region of the acupoint. The distance between points A and D is about 2.5 mm. Fig. 3 18 1.6 0.8 2 460480500520540560580600620640660680700720 D(mm) Fig 4. Ratio of the intensity of FAD and Fig. 2. Photoluminescence spectra of""Waiqiu acupoint with lipids to that of porphyrins(R)in different positions A, B, C, D the excitation of (A)457.9 and (B)488.0 nm respectively. and e as a function tance(D)away from point A
software was used to smooth the raw data and for other calculations. 3. Results and discussion The PL spectra near the center of ‘‘Waiqiu’’ are shown in Fig. 2, in which curves A and B represent the spectra obtained under the excitation of 457.9 or 488.0 nm, respectively. The emission spectrum corresponding to the excitation of 457.9 nm consists of two sub-bands peaked at about 525 and 590 nm, respectively, as shown by curve A, while the 488.0 nm is used as the excitation light; the spectrum is of two sub-bands structure as well, but the sub-band in the higher energy side is obviously weaker than the other one (see curve B in Fig. 2). The sub-band around 525 nm can be attributed to the fluorescence of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and phospholipids (one kind of lipids). On the other hand, the sub-band peak at about 590 nm might be attributed to the fluorescence of porphyrins, including purine, isoxanthopterin and tryptophan [5,6]. Our pre-designed sampling points were marked with A, B, C, D and E, as shown in the inset of Fig. 3. These points are along the direction away from the center of the acupoint to its marginal area, and the point E is already outside the effective region of the acupoint. The distance between points A and D is about 2.5 mm. Fig. 3 shows the PL spectra under the excitation of 457.9 nm, and curves A, B, C, D and E correspond to spectra recorded at points A, B, C, D and E, respectively. It can be seen, obviously, that the ratio between intensities of the two sub-bands varies gradually from spectrum A to spectrum E, as shown in Fig. 4. Consequently, we could come to the conclusion that, compared to the porphyrARTICLE IN PRESS 460 480 500 520 540 560 580 600 620 640 660 680 700 720 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 Photoluminescence Intensity (a. u.) Wavelength (nm) A B Fig. 2. Photoluminescence spectra of ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupoint with the excitation of (A) 457.9 and (B) 488.0 nm respectively. 0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 450 500 550 600 650 700 E D C B A Photoluminescence Intensity (a. u.) Wavelength (nm) E D C B A Fig. 3. Photoluminescence spectra of the sample inside the effective acupuncture area and its outside. Curves A, B, C, D and E are measured from different positions indicated in the upper-right circle. Positions A, B, C and D are in the effective area of ‘‘Waiqiu’’ and E is outside the acupoint. 0123 5 4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 R (a. u.) D (mm) Fig. 4. Ratio of the emission intensity of FAD and phospholipids to that of porphyrins (R) in different positions A, B, C, D and E as a function of distance (D) away from point A. 98 Y. Zhang et al. / Journal of Luminescence 119– 120 (2006) 96–99
Y. Zhang et al./Journal of Luminescence 119-120(2006)96-99 ins, the concentration of FAD and phospholipids FAD, i.e., the oxygen removal ability in oxida decreases relatively from the center of"Waiqiu'"to tion-deoxidation reactions, it is not unreasonable to think there is relatively high concentration of E, outside of"Waiqiu. In other words, we believe FAD in the acupoint"Waiqiu"and the redox that more FAD and phospholipids exist in the effect might be important during the acupuncture efficient acupoint regions. As we know, FAD is virtually a kind of coenzyme which has a vital function for oxygen removal during the processes of the oxidation-deoxidation reaction. Therefore Acknowledgments we could relate the""acupoint to certain biological redox functions. and suggest that the This work was supported by National Basic FAD'S function, the oxidation-deoxidation reac- Research Program of China(no. 2005CB523306) tion, might be an important processes in acupunc- We would like to thank Professor Huansheng ture, which result in the special curative effects of Chen of the Institute for Modern Physics at Fudan acupuncture at acupoints University for the PIXE measurements to deter mine the acupoints range References The PL at various positions of an acupoint " Waiqiu"has been systematically studied. The [X.Y. Shen, R.S. Dang, E.Y. Chen, et al., Chin. Acupunc emission spectrum resulting from the superficial 0)(1998)595 fascia tissue, in which the acupoint"Waiqiu 2]RS. Dang, X.Y. Shen, E.Y. Chen, et al. Chin. Acupunc located, consists of two sub-bands peaked at 590 ture Moxibust. 16(4)(1997)28 and 525 nm, respectively. It is found that the Pl B3] Fei Lun, H.S. Cheng, et al., Sci. Forum 43(6)(1998)658 due to FAD and phospholipids decreases gradu- [4 H.S. Cheng, W.H. He, et al., Nucl. Tech. 22(8)(1998)494 ally along the direction away from the center 5 Nirmala Ramanujam, Neoplasia 2(2000)89 6R. Richards-Kortum, Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem. 47(1996) of the acupoint. Considering the special effect of
ins, the concentration of FAD and phospholipids decreases relatively from the center of ‘‘Waiqiu’’ to its marginality, and is greatly decreased at position E, outside of ‘‘Waiqiu’’. In other words, we believe that more FAD and phospholipids exist in the efficient acupoint regions. As we know, FAD is virtually a kind of coenzyme which has a vital function for oxygen removal during the processes of the oxidation–deoxidation reaction. Therefore, we could relate the ‘‘Waiqiu’’ acupoint to certain biological redox functions, and suggest that the FAD’s function, the oxidation–deoxidation reaction, might be an important processes in acupuncture, which result in the special curative effects of acupuncture at acupoints. 4. Conclusions The PL at various positions of an acupoint ‘‘Waiqiu’’ has been systematically studied. The emission spectrum resulting from the superficial fascia tissue, in which the acupoint ‘‘Waiqiu’’ is located, consists of two sub-bands peaked at 590 and 525 nm, respectively. It is found that the PL due to FAD and phospholipids decreases gradually along the direction away from the center of the acupoint. Considering the special effect of FAD, i.e., the oxygen removal ability in oxidation–deoxidation reactions, it is not unreasonable to think there is relatively high concentration of FAD in the acupoint ‘‘Waiqiu’’ and the redox effect might be important during the acupuncture. Acknowledgments This work was supported by National Basic Research Program of China (no. 2005CB523306). We would like to thank Professor Huansheng Chen of the Institute for Modern Physics at Fudan University for the PIXE measurements to determine the acupoint’s range. References [1] X.Y. Shen, R.S. Dang, E.Y. Chen, et al., Chin. Acupuncture Moxibust. 18 (10) (1998) 595. [2] R.S. Dang, X.Y. Shen, E.Y. Chen, et al., Chin. Acupuncture Moxibust. 16 (4) (1997) 28. [3] Fei Lun, H.S. Cheng, et al., Sci. Forum 43 (6) (1998) 658. [4] H.S. Cheng, W.H. He, et al., Nucl. Tech. 22 (8) (1998) 494. [5] Nirmala Ramanujam, Neoplasia 2 (2000) 89. [6] R. Richards-Kortum, Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem. 47 (1996) 555. ARTICLE IN PRESS Y. Zhang et al. / Journal of Luminescence 119– 120 (2006) 96–99 99
