Acupuncture is an ancient therapeutic practice, and its ability to withstand the test of time—thousands of years—in and of itself speaks to its benefits. However, in the context of modern medicine, research more widely legitimizing this modality and explaining its capacity for healing is fairly recent. One landmark finding by Chinese female scientist Jimei Song, the mast cell theory of acupuncture, has incredible and timely relevance for helping us better understand some of the complex neuro-immunological predicaments of our time. Mast cells, which sit at the interface of immunity, inflammation, and sensitivity, are considered key players in our acute defense mechanisms. As the incidence of chronic illness rises, wisdom deeply embedded in TCM and rapidly-expanding research alike highlight the importance of these specialized cells that link the immune and nervous systems.
Mast cells are sentinel immune cells that can be described as our first responders to stressors (e.g., allergens, pathogens, physical injury, environmental toxins). They are responsible for the release of chemical mediators like histamine, cytokines, and prostaglandins, dispatched to protect the body from threats. However, our mast cells can become persistently overactivated, contributing to chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation (including autoimmunity), and multisystem chronic illness. By creating a body-wide state of hypersensitivity from releasing too many inflammatory mediators, we see the creation of a vicious cycle: mast cells keep the nervous system on high alert, which in turn causes hypervigilance for mast cells to detect more threats, and new threats are continually generated through all of this activity. This can affect the skin, gut, cardiovascular system, and nervous system, leading to a wide variety of seemingly disconnected symptoms—precisely why Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is elusive and underdiagnosed, though increasingly common.
One of TCM’s foundational concepts is that of the meridian channels, pathways for energy (Qi) that flow throughout the body. These twelve channels have high concentrations of acupuncture points, considered gateways to the body’s energy system, which can be unlocked by stimulation through acupuncture or acupressure. While TCM is an intricate system of medicine and describing acupuncture’s effects in terms of “Qi flow” is not only valid but carries deep meaning to those who understand this framework, biomedical explanations do exist. According to Song’s 1977 groundbreaking theory, since supported by hundreds of extensive research reports, mast cells are abundant in the skin and connective tissues, particularly around acupuncture points. This suggests that acupoints are anatomically and functionally unique sites for modulating immune and nervous system responses.
By proposing that mast cells are primary mediators of acupuncture’s effects, Song offered a tangible hypothesis connecting the local (needle insertion) with the systemic (immune and nervous system regulation). Her theory, as well as the research it inspired, helps us better understand the many minute mechanisms underlying the benefits of acupuncture. There is preliminary evidence showing that acupuncture holds promise in influencing mast cell behavior, reducing excessive or inappropriate mediator release and even minimizing the number of mast cells. Tackling another aspect of the overactive mast cell cycle, as mast cells interact with nerve endings, acupuncture can calm overstimulated nerve-mast cell loops, often implicated in hypersensitivity and chronic inflammation. TCM as a whole concerns itself with restoring balance by tending to our innate regulatory mechanisms, although more research is needed to determine whether acupuncture can help “retrain” mast cells to respond proportionately.
The body of research that Song initiated really went on to shift the tide, reframing acupuncture as a therapy for the neuroimmune system, not just a tool for pain management—one of its primary legitimized actions in the West until the 2000s. Song’s theory also translated the TCM idea of Wei Qi (our body’s conceptual shield) into modern immunology, showing that stimulating points that regulate this shield could literally be regulating mast cells. Interestingly, the most prized TCM tonic herb for fortifying the Wei Qi is Astragalus, which has immunomodulatory properties and shows promise for stabilizing mast cells according to preliminary research. Once again, we find that ancient traditions like TCM hold deep stores of wisdom that continue to not only help the body find healing, but support our innate capacity for regulation in the face of constant change.
