Author: Yang Kongshun//Xu Hong//Guo Zhongliang//Zhao Bangzu//Li Zhaohuei
Affiliation: Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guizhou Province, China [1]
Conference/Journal: 1st World Conf Acad Exch Med Qigong
Date published: 1988
Other:
Pages: 45 , Word Count: 514
Qigong exercise has been regarded for a long time as one of the effective methods in preventing, treating diseases and prolonging life. The emitted qi is thought a special energy flow from a well-trained qigong master. Recently the emitted qi has been used to treat patients with satisfactory results. Particularly, it has better analgesic effect on pains. Previous investigations were only performed on the human body. But the analgesic mechanism and whether psychological factors are involved are still unknown. The present study was undertaken to determine the analgesic effect of the emitted qi on white rats and investigate its analgesic mechanism.
In the experiment K+ was penetrated into the tails, causing nocuous stimulation, the stronger the electric current the more K+ penetrated. The maximal current intensity (MA) was decided at the moment the rat cried owing to pain and it was taken as an indication of the pain threshold. The pain threshold was determined by the average value of three tests in series with an interval of 30 seconds. Then the qigong master emitted his qi for 15 minutes to the head and tail of.the rat from point Laogong (P 8) and the tip of the index and middle fingers. His hand was at a distance of 10-30 cm from the rat. As soon as he stopped emitting his qi, the pain threshold was measured, then the measurement was repeated every 10 minutes.
The subjects of this study were divided into four groups: (I) Control group (not any emitted qi received); (2) Experimental Group I and Group II (receiving the emitted qi from two independent qigong masters; (3) Simulated group (an untrained layman doing simulated test); ( 4) Naloxone injected group.
The results are as follows: In the control group (n= 12) the pain threshold was quite stable and the difference was not significant as compared with the basic pain threshold (P>0.05). In Experimental Group I (n=15) and (n=16). the pain threshold obviously elevated. The difference was significant as compared separately with the basic pain threshold (P<O.01 or P<O.001). The peak of the elevated pain threshold was at the 30th or 40th minute after stopping of qi emitting. Both experimental groups showed a lasting after effect for a few hours. In the simulated group (n=6), no change of the pain threshold (P>O.05) was seen. In order to investigate the analgesic mechanism of the emitted qi, naloxone (0.2 mg/kg) was injected into the tail vein of 5 rats after their pain threshold was obviously elevated by the emitted qi. It was found that the pain threshold distinctly reduced as compared with the period when naloxone has not been administered.
The above results showed that the emitted qi has analgesic effect on rats without any psychological interaction. This effect may be related to the action of endogenous morphine. The emitted qi may promote synthesis and release endogenous morphine. In this study we also found that naloxone could only partially block the analgesic effect of the emitted qi. It suggests that the analgesic effect of the emitted qi may be related to other substances, which remain to be solved.