Advance Access Publication 8 June 2006 eCAM 2006;3(4)475–482

doi:10.1093/ecam/nel032

Original Article

Ki-Energy (Life-Energy) Protects Isolated Rat Liver Mitochondria

from Oxidative Injury
S. Tsuyoshi Ohnishi1, Tomoko Ohnishi2 and Kozo Nishino3
1
Philadelphia Biomedical Research Institute, King of Prussia, PA 19406, 2Department of Biochemistry and
Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA and
3
School of Nishino Breathing Method, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150, Japan

We investigated whether ‘Ki-energy’ (life-energy) has beneficial effects on mitochondria. The paradigm
we developed was to keep isolated rat liver mitochondria in conditions in which they undergo heat
deterioration (39
C for 10 min). After the heat treatment, the respiration of the mitochondria was
measured using a Clarke-type oxygen electrode. Then, the respiratory control ratio (RC ratio; the ratio
between State-3 and State-4 respiration, which is known to represent the integrity and intactness of
isolated mitochondria) was calculated. Without the heat treatment, the RC ratio was >5 for NADH-
linked respiration (with glutamate plus malate as substrates). The RC ratio decreased to 1.86–4.36 by
the incubation at 39
C for 10 min. However, when Ki-energy was applied by a Japanese Ki-expert dur-
ing the heat treatment, the ratio was improved to 2.24–5.23. We used five preparations from five differ-
ent rats, and the significance of the differences of each experiment was either P < 0.05 or P < 0.01
(n ¼ 3–5). We analyzed the degree of lipid peroxidation in the mitochondria by measuring the amount
of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). The amount of TBARS in heat-treated, no
Ki-exposed mitochondria was greater than that of the control (no heat-treated, no Ki-exposed).
However, the amount was reduced in the heat-treated, Ki-exposed mitochondria (two experiments;
both P < 0.05) suggesting that Ki-energy protected mitochondria from oxidative stress. Calcium ions
may play an important role in the protection by Ki-energy. Data also suggest that the observed Ki-effect
involves, at least, near-infrared radiation (0.8–2.7 mm) from the human body.

Keywords: infrared radiation – Ki-energy – lipid peroxidation – mitochondria – oxidative stress –

reactive oxygen species – respiratory control ratio – TBARS

Introduction ‘breathing’ is directly related to oxygen respiration, he has

long proposed that mitochondria may play a key role in main-
We are demonstrating that so-called ‘Ki-energy’ is a natural
taining vitality and health (3,4). This led us to undertake the
phenomenon, and therefore, it can be analyzed by rigorous
project to explore a possible relationship between Ki-energy
scientific and objective investigations. A ‘breathing method’
and mitochondrial function.
developed by a Japanese Ki-expert, Kozo Nishino (1–4),
Isolated rat liver mitochondria is a well-established model
stimulated immune activity of practitioners and lowered their
for studying biophysical and biochemical aspects of energy
stress levels (5). We then reported that his Ki-energy inhibited
metabolism. The simplest marker for the intactness of mito-
cell division of cultured human carcinoma cells (6). Since
chondria is a respiratory control ratio (RC ratio, which is the
ratio between State-3 and State-4 respiration) (7). Using this
model, we found that a heat treatment (incubation at 39
C
For reprints and all correspondence: S. Tsuyoshi Ohnishi, PhD, Philadelphia for 10 min) decreased the RC ratio by 60%. Therefore, we
Biomedical Research Institute, suite 250, 100 Ross Road, King of Prussia.
PA 19406, USA. Tel: þ1-610-688-6276; Fax: þ1-610-254-9332; examined whether Ki-energy emitted from the fingers of the
E-mail: [email protected] Japanese Ki-expert (K.N.) could inhibit the decrease.

The Author (2006). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

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476 Ki-energy protects mitochondria

We also attempted to find the mechanism for the Ki-effect. separated by spacers (0.1 mm thick). The assembly was placed
After the early work by Boveris and Cadenas (8), reactive in a air chamber (made of 1.6 mm acrylic plates) with two
oxygen species (ROS) has been recognized as an important borosilicate glass windows (40 m diameter and 0.17 mm thick)
factor to damage mitochondrial functions, and numerous through which Ki-energy was applied (Fig. 1A). By circulating
papers were published on this subject for the past 30 years. water from a thermostatic water bath into two coils made of
In order to test whether Ki-energy could reduce the ROS Tygon tubings, the temperature inside the air chamber was
production, we measured the amount of mitochondrial lipid kept at 37
C. Temperature of the mitochondrial suspension
peroxidation after the heat treatment (with and without expo- was heated to 39
C with two heating elements (each 5 W,
sure to Ki-energy) using a well-known assay technique for 2 W) and by applying the electric voltage (adjustable between
TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reacting substances). 3.6 and 6 V) across two heating elements (total of 10 W).
From the test of comparing the effects of ethylene diamine The air inside the chamber was circulated by two small
tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo) motor-driven fans. The temperature was regulated by using a
tetraacetic acid (EGTA) during the preparation of mitochon- thermocouple thermometer and a K-type (small bead-type)
dria, we tried to find whether or not calcium ions would play thermocouple (Fisher Scientific, Pittsburgh, PA) connected
a role in the protection mechanism by Ki-energy. Since we with a Honeywell 700 regulator-relay system (Cole-Parmer
already demonstrated that Ki-energy would involve infrared Instrument Co., Vernon Hills, IL). The diameter of the bead
radiation (6), we used optical filters to examine the range of is 0.8 mm, and the bead was attached onto the borosilicate
wavelengths with which Ki-energy was effective in protecting glass plate with heat-conducting grease (which is used to
mitochondria. increase heat conduction between a semiconductor chip and
air-fins). The output of the thermometer (1 mV per centigrade)
is connected to a recorder (5 mV full scale) (Fig. 1B).
Materials and Methods
Figure 1C shows an inside view of the air chamber.
Figure 1D and E show how Ki-energy was applied through
Chemicals
the windows. The actual temperature recordings are shown in
All chemicals were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Fig. 2.
(St Louis, MO).
Optical Filters
Preparation of Mitochondria
Two visible range filters (IR-absorption filter) with a bandpass
Rat liver mitochondria were prepared from male Sprague– wavelength range of 360–760 nm and two infrared filters with
Dawley rats (body weight 200 g) by the method of Hagihara a bandpass wavelength range of 0.8–2.7 mm were purchased
(9) with a slight modification. In brief, the preparation buffer from Edmond Optics (Barrington, NJ). When they were used,
contains 225 mM mannitol, 75 mM sucrose, 0.1 mM EDTA, one filter was placed on top of the chamber, and the other
1 mg ml1 bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 10 mM HEPES under the chamber (Fig. 1E). The transmission spectrum for
(pH 7.4). In this buffer, liver was minced and homogenized visible wavelength was measured using Hitachi spectropho-
with a teflon-glass homogenizer. After homogenization, the tometer model U-2000. That for infrared filter was measured
mitochondrial fraction was separated as a fraction which was using Bruker infrared spectrophotometer model IFS 66 at the
sedimented by centrifugation between 600 g for 10 min and laboratory of Dr J. Vandakooi, Department of Biochemistry
6000 g for 10 min. The pellet was wash-centrifuged with a and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania School of
washing buffer consisting of 10 mM HEPES (pH 7.4) and Medicine (see Fig. 3).
150 mM KCl. The final pellet was suspended in the same
buffer at a protein concentration of 30 mg ml1 and stored Assay for Mitochondrial Respiration
at 0
C. The protocol was approved by the institutional animal
Oxygen consumption of isolated rat liver mitochondria (4 mg
care and use committee.
protein per ml) was measured using a Clark-type oxygen elec-
trode at 25
C (the chamber volume of 0.3 ml) in a reaction
Application of Ki-energy
medium which consists of the washing buffer plus the addi-
This is essentially similar to the method we used for the tions of 4 mM potassium phosphate, 0.1 mM EDTA and
cultured cancer cell experiments (6), except that for a mito- 1 mg ml1 BSA. Since NADH is not permeable to the intact
chondrial suspension (0.05–0.1 ml) was kept in a thermostatic mitochondrial inner membrane, we used a mixture of glutam-
air chamber. The reason why we did not use a conventional ate and malate, both of which are permeable to the inner
water bath to keep the temperature of the mitochondrial membrane and produce NADH in the matrix space of mito-
suspension constant was that the infrared radiation is absorbed chondria. A 80 ml mitochondrial suspension (30 mg ml1) in
by water. In the chamber, the suspension was sandwiched 150 mM KCl, 10 mM HEPES (pH 7.4) and 20 mM glutamate-
between two borosilicate glass plates (diameter 40 mm and malate was kept in the chamber for 10 min at 39
C with or
the thickness 0.17 mm; the transmittance of infrared radiation without the application of Ki-energy. After incubation, 40 ml
is above 90% up to the wavelength of 5 mm) which were of the suspension was collected and added to a polarographic
 eCAM 2006;3(4) 477

A D

Figure 1. (A) Schematic illustration of how Ki-energy is applied to a mitochondrial suspension kept between two glass plates (0.17 mm thick), which are separated
by thin spacers (0.1 mm thick), and placed inside a thermostatic air chamber. The drawing is not in proportion to the actual size. Abbreviations: a, borosilicate glass
plate (0.17 mm thick); b, spacer (0.1 mm thick); c, lid made of borosilicate glass plate (0.17 mm thick); d, mitochondrial suspension; e, bead-type thermocouple
(diameter, 0.8 mm); f, heat-conducting silicone grease; g, box made of acrylic plates (1.6 mm thick); h, lid made of acrylic plate (1.6 mm thick); i, borosilicate glass
window (40 mm diameter and 0.17 mm thick); j, heat-insulating box made of polystyrene foam (8 mm thick); k, heat-insulating lid made of polystyrene foam (8
mm thick); l, 50 mm diameter holes made in the heat insulators; m, small toy-motor; n, fan; o, circulating water inlet; p, circulating water outlet; q, two coils made
of thin Tygon tubings; r, heating elements (each 5 W, 2 W). (B) Schematic illustration of the constant temperature system. Abbreviations: s, plastic stand with a 50
mm diameter hole on the top plate; t, thermometer; u, recorder; v, relay-regulator; w, constant DC voltage supply (6 V); x; resistors and a rotary switch to adjust the
voltage applied to the heating elements; y, thermostatic water bath; z, rubber tubings. (C) The inside of the air chamber showing the coil made of Tygon tubings. A
blue wire is the conductors for the thermocouple. The white material at the tip of the blue wire is a small lump of heat-conducting grease which covered the ther-
mocouple. (D) Ki-energy is applied from Nishino’s fingers through the holes made in the insulator. (E) Ki-energy is applied through two optical filters (one on top
and the other under the chamber).
478 Ki-energy protects mitochondria

Figure 2. Temperature recording of a mitochondrial suspension (100 ml) as measured by thermometer with a bead-type thermocouple. (A) A dip and a rise of the
recording at the beginning show the timing when a new suspension was applied between two borosilicate plates. Ki indicates the application of Ki-energy.
(B) F indicates when two filters were placed, one on top and the other under the chamber. Ki indicates the application of Ki-energy through the filters. See text
for details.

Figure 3. Transmission spectra recorded by Hitachi U-2000 (from 300 to 1100 nm) and Bruker IFS-66 (from 1.42 to 10 mm). Blue curve, IR-absorption filter; red
curve, IR-bandpass filter.

cell (total volume 0.3 ml), which was incubated with the added to a 80 ml mitochondrial suspension (suspended in
reaction medium at 25
C. After a few minutes of stabilization, 150 mM KCl, 10 mM HEPES, pH 7.4) and it was incubated
2.5 ml of a mixture of 0.5 M glutamate and 0.5 M malate was in the air chamber for 10 min at 39
C (with or without
added to start measurements. Then, ADP was repeatedly added Ki-application). Then, 40 ml was collected and the amount of
to the suspension (20 mM, 2 ml each) and the RC ratio was TBARS was assayed. The amount of TBARS was measured
calculated from the ratio of the slope of State-3 respiration using Hitachi fluorescent spectrophotometer Model 650 with
(during ATP synthesis from ADP) to that of the subsequent the excitation wavelength of 533 nm and emission wavelength
State-4 (after ADP was consumed) (7). We calculated the ratio of 550 nm. As a standard for lipid peroxide, 1,1,3,3, ethoxy
from the average of ratios for three successive ADP additions. propane was used.

Assay for Lipid Peroxidation Statistics

The method of Ohkawa et al. (10) which involves the All data are shown as the means ± standard deviations. We
extraction of TBARS by n-butyl alcohol was used. In brief, used a computer software (StatView) for statistical analysis.
the substrates (10 mM glutamate and 10 mM malate) were When two sets of data were compared, the Student’s t-test
 eCAM 2006;3(4) 479

was used to assess the statistical significance. When multiple 8 h after preparation if stored in ice. When mitochondria
sets of data were compared, they were analyzed by ANOVA were incubated for 10 min at 39
C without Ki-energy, they
with the Fisher’s PLSD test. In both cases, P < 0.05 was deteriorated as shown in Fig. 4 curve (b); the RC ratio was
considered to be statistically significant. 4.33. When Ki-energy was applied during the entire incubation
time, the deterioration was inhibited as shown in Fig. 4 curve
(c); the RC ratio became 5.23.
Results Results from five mitochondrial preparations (obtained
from five different rats) are summarized in Table 1. The
Temperature Stability of the Chamber experiments (A) were performed in an old chamber in which
As shown in Fig. 2, the temperature of the mitochondrial sus- temperature control was not as good as the one shown in
pension was regulated at 39 ± 0.12
C. When Ki-energy was Fig. 1. The fluctuation was ±0.6
C, whereas in the experi-
applied by K.N. through two 40 mm holes made in the heat ments (B), it was improved to ±0.17
C. Although the values
insulator box (Fig. 1D), the average temperature was raised of RC ratios changed somewhat from a preparation to the
by 0.03
C (because of the infrared radiation), but it returned next, the tendencies were always the same. With glutama-
to the original temperature a few minutes after the finger was teþmalate as substrates, the improvement of the RC ratios by
removed (Fig. 2A). When two near-infrared range filters Ki-energy was always observed and the differences were
were placed above and below the windows (Fig. 1E), the statistically significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01; n ¼ 3–5).
temperature was raised by 0.02
C (because of a heat-insulating
effect of the filter). When Ki was applied through the filter, the Ki-energy Reduces Membrane Lipid Peroxidation
temperature was further raised by 0.02
C. When both fingers
and filters were removed, the temperature did not quite return As shown in Table 2, the heat treatment increased the amount
to the original value, but it was 0.02
C higher than the of TBARS in the mitochondria, but the amount was decreased
original value (Fig. 2B). Therefore, the fluctuation of the
temperature of the whole system was ±0.17
C. The tempera-
Table 1. Effect of Ki-energy on the heat-induced decrease of RC ratios of
ture response of the system was satisfactory. When we applied isolated rat liver mitochondria
a mitochondrial suspension (100 ml), the temperature returned
to 39
C within 2 min if the 4.5 V was applied across 10 W of Experiments Ki þKi
heating elements (Fig. 2A). When temperature reached to Experiment A
this level, the voltage was decreased to 3.6 V, because this Exp. 1 (n ¼4) 1.86 ± 0.15 2.24 ± 0.18*
gave a smaller fluctuation of the chamber temperature. Exp. 2 (n ¼3) 4.36 ± 0.06 5.23 ± 0.39*
Exp. 3 (n ¼3) 3.41 ± 0.15 4.55 ± 0.80*
Oxygen Polarographic Analysis Experiment B
The original mitochondria maintained a high degree of Exp. 4 (n ¼4) 2.96 ± 0.17 3.66 ± 0.18**
integrity as shown by an example of Fig. 4 curve (a) which Exp. 5 (n ¼5) 2.86 ± 0.12 3.28 ± 0.09**
had the RC ratio of 6.3. This ratio was maintained for at least The RC ratios and the standard deviations for five different preparations (from
5 different rats) are shown. For experiment (A), the mitochondrial suspension
was kept at 39 ± 0.6
C for 10 min in the presence of 5 mM glutamate and
5 mM malate. For experiment (B), the condition was the same as (A) except
for the temperature which was 39 ± 0.17
C. The RC ratios of the control
experiments (no heat treatment, no Ki-exposure) were between 5 and 6.5. In
this table, -Ki and þKi indicate that the experiments were done without and
with Ki-exposure, respectively. Other experimental conditions are the same
as those shown in Fig. 4. n is the number of measurements for each
experiment. The ‘*’ and ‘**’ indicate that the statistical significance
determined by Student’s t-test is P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively.

Table 2. Effect of Ki-energy on the amount of TBARS (nmoles mg1

protein) of mitochondria during the heat treatment

Experiments Control Ki þKi

Exp. 1 0.35 ± 0.01 0.60 ± 0.06* 0.44 ± 0.11#
Exp. 2 0.22 ± 0.02 0.35 ± 0.04* 0.27 ± 0.01#
The mean values and the standard deviations for the amount of TBARS.
Figure 4. Example of polarographic records. (a) Control Rat liver mitochon-
Experimental conditions are the same as those shown in Fig. 4.
dria; (b) mitochondria were incubated without Ki-energy for 10 min at 39
C; Abbreviations are the same as in Table 1. ‘*’ indicates that the significance of
(c) mitochondria were incubated for 10 min at 39
C while Ki-energy was difference from the control experiments was P < 0.05 (n ¼ 3).
applied. The final concentration of mitochondria was 4 mg ml1. See text for ‘#’ indicates that the significance of difference from the Ki experiments was
details. P < 0.05 (n ¼ 3).
480 Ki-energy protects mitochondria

Figure 6. (A) Effects of EGTA (1 mM) and (B) EDTA (0.1 mM) added to the
preparation medium on the Ki-protection effect. Closed circles represent data
with heat/Ki treatment. Closed triangles are heat/no Ki treatment. Abscissa
Figure 5. Effects of visible range filters (360–760 nm bandpass) and infrared indicates the time after the preparation of mitochondria. Data in (A) were
filters (0.8–2.7 mm) on the RC ratios (bar graphs) with standard deviations obtained using a separate mitochondrial preparation in which EGTA was
(error bars). All data points were obtained using the same mitochondrial sus- used. Data in (B) were taken from Experiment 2 in Table 1.
pension prepared from one rat. The measurements were finished within 8 h after
the preparation of mitochondria. P-values indicate the statistical significance
of the difference. NS means that the difference was not significant. n ¼ 3 for
each category. Discussion
We report here that Ki-energy emitted by K.N. had significant
effects on the function of isolated mitochondria. We have
when Ki was applied during the 10 min incubation period. The employed a heat deterioration treatment of isolated mitochon-
difference was statistically significant for two preparations dria (39
C for 10 min). This simple method was able to
(for both experiments, P < 0.05; n ¼ 3). decrease the RC ratio by 60% from the original ratio. While
incubating mitochondria at 39
C, K.N. sent his Ki-energy to
Optical Filters to Determine Ki-wavelengths the mitochondrial suspension through his fingers for the entire
period. As shown in this article, mitochondria were protected
As shown in Fig. 5, the effect of Ki-energy on mitochondrial
from the heat deterioration effects. In order to quantitatively
respiration was lost when two visible range filters
analyze the Ki-effects, we measured the RC ratio, a well-
(IR-absorption filters) were placed to interrupt the Ki-energy.
known index for the integrity and intactness of isolated
There was no significant difference between no Ki experiment
mitochondria. We found that mitochondria were damaged by
and Ki with visible range filter experiments (n ¼ 3). This
the heat treatment as revealed by a decrease of the RC ratio,
shows that visible light is not involved in the observed
but that mitochondria of the same preparation were protected
Ki-effects. On the contrary, when two infrared filters
when they were exposed to Ki-energy during the heat
(0.8–2.7 mm) were placed, Ki-energy was able to protect the
treatment.
mitochondria (P < 0.05; n ¼ 3). The difference between the
Table 2 indicates that lipid peroxidation was increased
no-filter/Ki-exposure experiments and infrared filter/
during the heat deterioration, suggesting that mitochondria
Ki-exposure experiments was not significant (n ¼ 3).
were exposed to oxidative stress. Lipid peroxidation is known
to damage the mitochondrial membrane. This may be the cause
A Role of Calcium Ions on the Ki-effect on
for the decrease of the RC ratio. The heat treatment of mito-
Mitochondria
chondria may activate phospholipase A2 and decompose
Mitochondria accumulate calcium ions in the presence of some of the membrane phospholipids to produce free fatty
phosphate and the substrate. Since calcium accumulation acids. Free fatty acids are known to cause uncoupling between
uncouples mitochondrial function, it has been a custom to the electron transport and proton translocation (11). Free fatty
add a chelating agent, such as EGTA or EDTA, to the isolating acids are also prone to lipid peroxidation; therefore, they may
buffer solution for mitochondria to chelate calcium ions. We further damage mitochondrial membranes. However, as we
compared mitochondrial function in two preparations, one observed, lipid peroxidation was inhibited by Ki-energy, and
homogenized and centrifuged in the presence of 1 mM the mitochondrial integrity was preserved.
EGTA, and the other in the presence of 0.1 mM EDTA. Cellular and subcellular metabolisms are regulated by the
When mitochondria were prepared in the presence of EGTA, network consisting of numerous cytokines, hormones, recep-
the protective effect of Ki-energy was lost within 3 h after tors, proteins, enzymes and chromophores (such as
preparation (Fig. 6A). On the other hand, when they were cytochromes). Various metal ions and ROS are also involved
prepared in the presence of EDTA, they maintained the ability in these intricate metabolic networks. If Ki-energy could influ-
to respond to the Ki-effect even 8 h after the preparation ence one of these components, then it would be possible that
(Fig. 6B). the effect may be multiplied by the cascade nature of reactions
 eCAM 2006;3(4) 481

to manifest as a measurable effect, for example, as an inhibi- X-ray radiation, which would increase the level (27,28). This
tion of lipid peroxidation. suggests that the level of Ki-energy from the fingers of
We found two important clues for the observed Ki-effects on Ki-expert is relatively week. Machi (24) estimated that the
mitochondria. Namely, (i) mitochondria are constantly energy of infrared radiation from a Chinese Qigong healer is
exposed to the danger of ROS-induced oxidative injury. The on the order of 10 mW. A speculative mechanism on how
inhibition of lipid peroxidation suggests that Ki-energy may such a week infrared radiation could induce measurable
inhibit the generation of ROS in mitochondria. (ii) Our data changes in biological systems is proposed (29).
suggest that Caþþ (calcium ions) may be involved in the In conclusion, Ki-energy maintains mitochondrial
Ki-triggered reactions. It has been known that EDTA cannot membrane integrity during the heat deterioration process.
bind Caþþ in the presence of Mgþþ (magnesium ions), The effect of Ki seems to be related to the inhibition of
because the binding constant between EDTA and Mgþþ is oxidative injury on mitochondrial membranes caused by
higher than that for EDTA and Caþþ. We have to use EGTA ROS. Therefore, Ki would have a beneficial effect on pro-
to chelate Caþþ in the presence of Mgþþ (12,13). Since mito- tecting mitochondria; thus, it would maintain efficient cellular
chondria contains Mgþþ, the addition of 0.1 mM EDTA in the metabolism and decrease the chance of unnecessary apoptosis.
preparation buffer may not be strong enough to remove Caþþ. Our data suggest that calcium ions may play an important role
On the contrary, the addition of 1 mM EGTA may be strong in the protection mechanism by Ki-energy. From experiments
enough to remove protein-bound Caþþ from mitochondria. with infrared and visible range filters, we demonstrated that
As shown in Fig. 6A, when we remove Caþþ from mitochon- observed Ki-effects involve, at least, near-infrared radiation
dria, the protection from Ki-energy was lost within a few hours with wavelength range between 0.8 and 2.7 mm.
after the preparation of mitochondria. However, when mito-
chondria were prepared with 0.1 mM EDTA, the Ki-effect
was maintained for at least 8 h (Fig. 6B). Acknowledgments
Taken together, important players participating in the
Ki-effect seem to be ROS and Caþþ. We hope to be able to dis- The authors wish to thank Professor J. Vanderkooi and
sect the protective mechanism of Ki-energy on mitochondria Mr Nathaniel Nucci, Department of Biochemistry and
by analyzing the oxidative injury process of mitochondria Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, for measuring
with a special reference to the role of Caþþ and ROS. absorption spectrum of the infrared range filter; the Institute
From the standpoint of health and longevity, our results may of Medical Science in Okayama where a part of the experi-
have the following significance: (i) Ki-energy may protect ments was performed; and Ms M.A. Leonard for preparing
mitochondria from oxidative injury. If the same reaction takes color figures.
place in the practitioners’ body, then mitochondria may pro-
duce more energy, and therefore, it has beneficial effects on
cellular metabolism. (ii) Mitochondria are known to play key References
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Received October 19, 2005; accepted May 11, 2006