What does this research mean for the field?

The core acupoint prescription for knee osteoarthritis features a combination of local and distal acupoints that vary by disease severity, and these acupoints potentially delay joint degeneration by regulating inflammation, cartilage metabolism, apoptosis, and tissue repair pathways. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To identify core acupoint prescriptions and disease-grade compatibility patterns for knee osteoarthritis, predicting their potential molecular mechanisms using network pharmacology.

September 3, 2026Journal of Pain ResearchOpen Access

Acupoint Selection Patterns and Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Combined Data Mining and Network Pharmacology Study

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To identify core acupoint prescriptions and disease-grade compatibility patterns for knee osteoarthritis, predicting their potential molecular mechanisms using network pharmacology.
Screened literature across 8 biomedical databases from inception to September 2025, applying frequency, association rule, and complex network analyses across Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade subgroups.
Identified overlapping targets between core acupoints and knee osteoarthritis via disease databases (OMIM, TTD, GeneCards, DrugBank), followed by protein-protein interaction, GO, and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses.
Evaluated 522 studies and 582 prescriptions encompassing 123 acupoints, establishing a 24-acupoint core prescription with ST35, GB34, SP9, and SP10 serving as universal acupoints across all disease grades.
Identified 77 intersecting disease targets, with central hubs including TNF, IL6, IL1B, TP53, MMP9, STAT3, TGFB1, CASP3, and BCL2 enriched in inflammation, immunity, cartilage metabolism, and tissue repair pathways.

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Implication

A network pharmacology study reveals stage-dependent acupoint patterns in knee osteoarthritis, suggesting multi-target biological pathways for joint repair.

Cite This Study

Zhang et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a993511636c6408cfa7cded https://doi.org/10.2147/jpr.s633375

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Implication

A network pharmacology study reveals stage-dependent acupoint patterns in knee osteoarthritis, suggesting multi-target biological pathways for joint repair.

Acupoint Selection Patterns and Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Combined Data Mining and Network Pharmacology Study

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Acupoint Selection Patterns and Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Combined Data Mining and Network Pharmacology Study

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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