The First Hospital of Peking University, China-Research, has shown that electroacupuncture at PC6 may decrease the frequency of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation (TLESR), which is the main mechanism underlying gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The study is reported in Issue 35 (September, 2007) of the World Journal of Gastroenterology because of its significant clinical impact.The study found that electroacupuncture at PC6 can contribute to a decrease of TLESR induced by gastric distention in cats. It also showed that this effect appears to act at the brain stem, and may be mediated through nitric oxide (NO), CCK-A, and mu-opioid receptors.
