Urinary Metabolomics Study on Acupuncture plus Wet Cupping Therapy for Post Stroke Depression: A pilot study

Caffeine metabolism was associated with the metabolic distinction between healthy volunteers and PSD patients. AC therapy was associated with clinical improvement in PSD and alterations in starch and sucrose metabolism as well as tyrosine metabolism. Tyrosine metabolism may be the key metabolic pathway distinguishing AC therapy from acupuncture alone. These findings suggested that AC therapy may exert its effects through associations with alterations in energy metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis, which was linked to the core pathophysiological mechanisms of PSD, though causal relationships require further investigation.