TITLE:
A Novel Apprehension of the Primary Lung Meridian, Sinew Channel, Divergent Channel, Luo-Connecting Channel Acting as a Single Unit System to Serve Respiration Function Based on Modern Neurophysiology and Kinesiology
AUTHORS:
Peter Chin Wan Fung, Regina Kit Chee Kong
KEYWORDS:
Lung Meridian, Sinew, Divergent, Luo-Connecting Channels, Mechanical Advantage of Muscles, Sympathetic Nerves, Parasympathetic Nerves, Muscles of the Tongue, Pharynx, Larynx, Intercostal Muscles, Inspiration and Expiration Muscles, Swallowing, Somatosensory and Segmental Reflexes, Acupoints of the Lung, Urinary Bladder, Kidney, Governing (DU), Conception (REN) Me-ridians, Pulmonary Diseases, Lung → Large-Intestine Connection, Acupuncture, Bian Stone Therapy
JOURNAL NAME:
Chinese Medicine,
Vol.11 No.2,
June
8,
2020
ABSTRACT: The TCM philosophy of a meridian and associated
channels pertains to the specific function of one or more organs. We define the Lung Primary Meridian (LUM) together with the Lung Sinew (LUSC), Divergent (LUDC), Luo-connecting (LULCC)
Channels as a system of routes plus some parts of the body (such as
muscles) to fulfil respiration, as a main function under different situations.
There is very limited information about the Lung associated channels in
classical literature of TCM. With a clear focus on the function of respiration,
we have carried out a detailed analysis of the biomedical consequence of
stimulating the LUM, analysed the roles played by LUSC, LUDC, and LULCC. The
updated LUM and LUDC include acupoints of other meridians, serving the same
purpose of performing satisfactory respiration starting from checking the
quality of the inflow through the nose. The LUSC includes the respiratory
muscles (plus the associated connective tissues) extending to various parts of
the body. The muscles of the limb (as part of the LUSC) embrace the nerves that
provide routes for somatosensory reflexes and play the role of locomotion,
providing voluntary respiration via the pectoralis muscles. The muscles of LUSC
are bounded by stiff connective tissue layers, forming compartments, and are
part of the pulley system for various body locomotions. Within a compartment,
the interstitial fluid, blood, lymph flows must be potent to protect the
associated nerves related to LUM; the healthy state of the LUSC also provides
freedom of various types of locomotion. The LULCC exists because the vagus
nerve has a part of it passing through the spinal cords all the way down to the
sacrum domain, with exiting nerve innervating two-third of the large intestine.
The crucial steps of our deductions are
supported by experimental evidence based on modern neurophysiology and
kinesiology. We discover that all the four channels stated above work as a unit
system to allow respiration to be possible under various postures/conditions. The
complexity of structures and processes is eased off by providing 29 figures and
13 tables for the relevant muscles and nerves. In addition to respiration, the
Lung system in TCM context includes interaction of this system with the sweat
gland and neuroendocrine system; such aspects will be left to another study.