ACUPUNCTURE - IMMUNOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN TR EATMENT OF ALLERGIC-ASTHMA

According to the rules of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupunctu re is a suitable treatment of complex chronic diseases like asthma bro nchiale. In a randomized, controlled study the effects of Chinese acup uncture have been examined on 38 patients suffering from mild allergic asthma. An individual acupuncture treatment according to the rules of TCM (verum group) has been compared with a treatment on acupuncture p oints not specific for asthma (control group). Both groups were treate d 12 times for 30 minutes each over a period of 4 weeks. Treatment of the verum group revealed significant increases of several lymphocyte s ubpopulations (CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells), significant changes in cyt okine concentrations (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10), and a decrease of eosinophil s in the peripheral blood. Additionally, the in vitro lymphocyte proli feration increased significantly. Moreover, in 79% of the verum patien ts an improvement in their general sense of condition was observed. Th is improvement of condition coincided with significant changes in seve ral immunological parameters (total lymphocytes, B cells, CD3+ T cells , CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, IL-6, IL-10). These results imply that a cupuncture - according to the rules of TCM in treatment of allergic as thma - has significantly modulating effects on the immune system.