Effects of acupuncture on the citrate and glucose metabolism in the liver under various types of stress.

A study was made of the effect of acupuncture on citrate and glucose metabolism in the liver in terms of incorporation of 14C-1, 5-citric acid and 14C-u-glucose in some metabolites. The effect of acupuncture on citrate metabolism in the liver under control conditions was such as to increase production of G and reduce that of KB, FC and FFA. No effect of acupuncture on glucose metabolism in the liver under such conditions was observed. Both citrate and glucose metabolism were affected to a marked extent by immobilization stress or exposure to heat or cold. The deleterious effect of these types of stress was less prominent in animals receiving acupuncture at the Tsu-San-Li locus than in those treated otherwise or receiving no treatment.