How electroacupuncture might help lower blood pressure and inflammation
Official title: Neuroimmune mechanisms underlying electroacupuncture effect on vascular function
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11189741 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether using electroacupuncture at specific points can lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation in people with hypertension.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | August 16, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $503,389 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AT011306-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11189741 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with high blood pressure, especially those whose blood pressure remains uncontrolled on medications or who are interested in non-drug options, would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with hypertension from a specific secondary medical cause, those needing immediate intensive blood pressure control, or people who cannot have electrical stimulation may not receive benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are testing whether mild electrical stimulation at selected acupuncture points can change nerve and immune activity that drives high blood pressure. The team maps nerve pathways, measures immune and neurophysiological signals, and identifies combinations of acupoints that may reduce sympathetic drive and increase parasympathetic activity. They combine anatomical mapping, phenotyping, and physiological recordings in their experiments to link those mechanisms to blood pressure and inflammation changes. Findings will help design targeted electroacupuncture approaches that could be used alongside or instead of existing treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to targeted electroacupuncture treatments that meaningfully lower blood pressure, improve autonomic balance, and reduce low-grade inflammation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous clinical trials of acupuncture for hypertension showed modest or mixed results, so this mechanism-focused, point-specific electroacupuncture approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Malik, Shaista — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Malik, Shaista
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how electroacupuncture affects blood vessel function in older adults
This study is looking at how electroacupuncture might help lower blood pressure and improve blood vessel health in older adults with high blood pressure, aiming to find new ways to treat this common condition without just relying on medications.
-
Electroacupuncture plus PD‑1 immunotherapy for advanced non‑small cell lung cancer with ECOG 2
This trial will see if adding electroacupuncture to PD‑1 immunotherapy helps people with advanced non‑small cell lung cancer who have an ECOG performance status of 2.
-
Electroacupuncture plus PD-1 immunotherapy for older adults with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
It will test whether adding electroacupuncture to PD‑1 immunotherapy helps people aged 65 and older with advanced non‑small cell lung cancer live longer, feel better, or have fewer side effects.
-
Zusanli (ST36) electroacupuncture plus immunotherapy in NSCLC before surgery
This trial tests whether adding electroacupuncture at ST36 to standard neoadjuvant immunotherapy helps patients with NSCLC better respond to treatment.
-
Electroacupuncture plus immunotherapy after surgery for early non-small cell lung cancer
This trial tests whether adding electroacupuncture (and in some groups a Zilongjin herbal tablet) to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment after surgery helps people with stage II–III non‑small cell lung cancer reduce recurrence and live longer.
-
Electroacupuncture to prevent menstrual-related migraine
This trial tests whether electroacupuncture, compared with sham electroacupuncture, can prevent migraines that occur around a woman’s period.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.