Objective To explore the specificity of acupoint effect and its fundamental laws. Methods We use evidence-based medicine method and data mining technology for ancient and modern acupuncture literature of migraine and functional dyspepsia to uncover the specificity and its laws. We apply multicenter,randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for migraine to identify the specificity from clini-cal aspects; to explain the biological base of the specificity,we analyze the PET/CT and NMR result on migraine and functional dyspepsia cases treated by acupuncture. Results The viewpoint of specificity of acupoint effect and its two fundamental laws (meridian course specificity and meridian qi convergence specificity)were found both in ancient and modern literature; compared to non-acupoints,the acupoints effect was specific on 180 migraine patients in the randomized controlled trials; the results of PET/CT scan showed that brain response to acupoint needling is more obvious than that of non-acupoint needling; NMR detected the influence on metabolic product of acupoint needling is more apparent than non-acupoint needling. Conclusions Our research confirmed that acupoint effect not only has its specificity but also has two fundamental laws:meridian course specificity and meridian qi convergence specificity,of which the biological base is supported by imaging and metabonomic studies.
