![]() PC-6 (Pericardium-6) is an acupuncture point empirically known to treat nausea and vomiting, especially as a side-effect of pregnancy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The Pericardium is connected to the chest, diaphragm and upper abdomen. This explains PC-6’s function for relieving nausea and vomiting, at least through TCM theory. So how can PC-6 be explained physiologically outside of TCM theory? Dr. Lijun Bai published a study in 2010 entitled “Neural Specificity of Acupuncture Stimulation at Pericardium 6: Evidence from an FMRI Study.” His team performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on the brain of 36 healthy subjects at three acupuncture points: PC-6, PC-7 (same channel and median innervation), and GB-37 (different channel, anti-emetic). The results drew the following conclusions: PC-6 stimulates areas of the brain involved in vestibular function, visceral sensation of the gastrointestinal tract, and the “fight-or-flight” response. This may explain its function on relieving nausea and vomiting.
GB-37 stimulates the visual processing center of the brain. It also produces opposite responses from PC-6 and PC-7, possibly corresponding to the yin / yang relationship between the Liver and Gallbladder.
This article is part of a LEAPS project to promote research and educate health professionals in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Reference Bai, L., Yan, H., Li, L., Qin, W., Chen, P., Liu, P., . . . Tian, J. (2009). Neural specificity of acupuncture stimulation at pericardium 6: Evidence from an FMRI study. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 71–77. Reposted from: https://medium.com/@saiju
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