J Tradit Chin Med. 1999 Dec; 19(4): 300-3.

Effects of acupuncture on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rabbits with fracture.

Shen M, Qi X, Huang Y, Lü Y, Cai W.

Second Clinical College of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy.

PURPOSE: To observe the effects of acupuncture on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rabbits with fracture. METHOD: 36 male rabbits with a 3-mm width experimental defect in the middle segment of the left radius were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group, and the changes in serum T3, T4 and TSH contents in different weeks were investigated. RESULTS: Serum T3, T4 and TSH contents in the treatment group all were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences in the contents of T4 and TSH in the second week and T3 content in the fourth week (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The action of promoting union of fracture is possibly related with the pituitary-thyroid axis.