ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the efficacy of herbal cake-separated moxibustion on the expression of erythrocyte CD58 in different ages of healthy people and explore the differences of the therapeutic effect in different ages and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 82 health participants were divided into a young age group and a middle-old age group according to the ages. They were treated with herbal cake-separated moxibustion on Shenque (CV 8), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) with cake made by Shudihuang (Radiz Re hmanniae Preparata), Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni ), etc. The treatment was given for 10 sessions once other day and each acupoint for 3 successive dosages. The mean fluorescence intensities of erythrocyte CD58 were measured by flow cytometry before and after moxibustion.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After moxibustion, erythrocyte CD58 expression were significantly higher than that before moxibustion in two groups (both P < 0.01), particularly in young age group, which was significantly higher than that in middle-old age group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The effect of moxibustion in youth is evidently superior to that in middle-old age. Its mechanism is connected with that moxibustion can enhance the expression of erythrocyte CD58.</p>