Journal of Pharmacopuncture (대한약침학회지)

KOREAN PHARMACOPUNCTURE INSTITUTE (대한약침학회)
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Morphological and Chemical Analysis of Various Disposable Acupuncture Needles Used in South Korea

  • Dong Yong, Park (Smart Manufacturing Technology R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology) ;
  • JiYoon, Ahn (Medistream Co., Ltd) ;
  • Hyeon Jeong, Park (Smart Manufacturing Technology R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology) ;
  • Doo Suk, Lee (Medistream Co., Ltd) ;
  • Dae-Hyun, Jo (Medistream Co., Ltd) ;
  • Jonghoon, Kim (Medistream Co., Ltd) ;
  • Choulmin, Kim (Medistream Co., Ltd) ;
  • Heebum, Chung (Medistream Co., Ltd) ;
  • Ji Hye, Hwang (Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University)
  • Received : 2022.10.12
  • Accepted : 2022.10.31
  • Published : 2022.12.30
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Abstract

Objectives: The Korean Industrial Standard (KS) for sterile acupuncture needles was established in 2009 based on research on the quality control of acupuncture needles. We aimed to determine the quality of acupuncture needles available in South Korea in 2021 by examining their surface condition and chemical composition using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Methods: In South Korea, there are 23 brands of acupuncture needles, and we examined 10-15 needles from each brand, resulting in a total of 285 needles. The microstructures of the needles were assessed by SEM. Using SEM images, we evaluated the acupuncture needle tips for the following defects/aspects: scratches, lumps, detached coating, bent tip, and tip sharpness. EDS was used to determine the chemical composition of the selected acupuncture needles. Results: Overall, 88.4% of 285 needles were found to have at least one type of abnormality. The most frequently observed abnormalities were scratches and dents on the surface (68.1%), followed by detached coating (63.2%), and lumps (61.8%); blunt tips were observed in about 24% of them. Of 252 needles with at least one defect, 86.9% had two or more types of defects. The ratio of the number of needles with any defect to that of needles without any defect varied among brands, ranging from 50% to 100%. Regarding foreign materials, higher proportions of Si and O were observed on the needles, indicating incomplete or detached silicone coating. Conclusion: The quality of acupuncture needles varied among brands, suggesting that further improvements can be made through various inspection methods.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology under the "Research Equipment Coordination Project (KITECH JF-22-0004)".

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