[Our considerations about basic research and clinical translation based on experimental studies on...

Basic research is an important component of acupuncture medicine, and is also the driving force for improving clinical practice. Acupuncture therapy has been used to treat hypertension for many years in China, and its underlying mechanism has also been progressively and partially explored, but its therapeutic effect remains controversial. Authors of the present paper summarize the current state of experimental researches on acupuncture treatment of hypertension from the establishment of hypertension model, acupoint selection, stimulation parameters, and related action mechanisms, and simultaneously found a disassocia- tion between the basic research and clinical practice, particularly in the selection of acupoints and stimulation parameters. Therefore, to establish a bridge for better translation from many achievements of experimental studies to clinical application is of great practical significance. The authors hold that the existing problems of clinical practice should be the foothold of basic research, while successful transformation from basic research achievements to clinical practice is our ultimate target. Only in this way, can we incessantly achieve the goal of improving clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy from the phase of effectiveness verification, and promote the healthy development of acupuncturology.