Liver fibrosis happens when the proteins, including collagen surrounding liver cells start to accumulate excessively.  Liver fibrosis is often a result of all types of liver diseases.

Science used to consider liver fibrosis to be irreversible condition, but recent evidence suggests the opposite.

Acupuncture has been increasingly used to treat chronic liver diseases. And we’re obviously interested to know how acupuncture can be helpful with liver fibrosis. Because Acupuncture and curcumin, both celebrated in traditional medicine, have piqued the interest of researchers in recent years. A study conducted by Xiao-Ping Zhang and colleagues sheds light on their potential synergistic effects in treating hepatic fibrosis. A study published in peer-reviewed international journal Acupuncture in Medicine investigated what exactly acupuncture does in combination with curcumin for liver fibrosis.

They found that acupuncture significantly enhances curcumin effects for liver fibrosis on a cellular level. They also found biochemical changes at the cellular level.  The effects were attributed to acupuncture and curcumin disrupting PDGF-βR/ERK pathway and stimulating extracellular matrix degradation. Curcumin is the principal active ingredient of turmeric.  This is yet another great example of how acupuncture and herbal medicines go hand in hand and enhance each others’ effect.

In conclusion, the vibrant union of acupuncture and curcumin represents a promising area of research, especially in the battle against liver fibrosis. While there are still challenges ahead, this study provides molecular insights into the potential of combining acupuncture and curcumin for the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis. Because this study was completed on rodents, further research will help determine the clinical relevance and applicability of these findings in human patients.

Ref: Acupuncture combined with curcumin disrupts platelet-derived growth factor ? receptor/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signalling and stimulates extracellular matrix degradation in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Acupuncture in Medicine doi:10.1136/acupmed-2012-010167