Bioengineering assessment of acupuncture, part 8: innovative moxibustion.

The actual Chinese character for acupuncture, translated literally, means "acupuncture-moxibustion." This shows the enormous importance of moxibustion in Asia for thousands of years. In this review article, the history of the burning of mugwort (moxatherapy) is briefly described. In addition, new technical methods such as new infrared-moxa or laser-moxa devices, electrobian stone moxibustion, and the investigations of a new needle-moxa system using high-tech methods such as thermography, laser Doppler flowmetry, and laser Doppler imaging are presented.