Effect of preventive moxibustion on heat shock proteins and stress hormones in natural menopausal rats / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of preventive moxibustion at the acupoint of 'Guanyuan" (CV 4) on the stress-related hormones, proteins and genes in natural menopausal rats, and explore its protective mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty eight healthy female SD rats were used in this study, in which 16 rats aged 4 months were used as normal control group, the rest 10-month-old rats with disorder of estrus cycle were randomly divided into 7 groups, including 4 control groups at the age of 10, 12, 14 and 16 months, and 3 preventive moxibustion groups at the age of 12, 14 and 16 months, 16 cases in each group. The 10-month-old rats were treated with preventive moxibustion at the acupoint of "Guanyuan" (CV 4), twice a week for 8 weeks consistently, then observed on the following 12, 14 and 16 months. Its effects on the level of heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70), heat shock protein 70 mRNA (HSP 70 mRNA), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), beta-endorphin (beta-EP), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in the different nuclei of hypothalamus were examined with radio-immunity, immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the control groups, the expression of HSP 70 and HSP 70 mRNA was increased in paraventricular, arcuate and supraoptic nucleus, the level of CRH, beta-EP was showed with declining trend in volatility, while the content of ACTH was increased. In comparison to the same-aged control groups, the preventive moxibustion groups were showed that the expression of HSP 70 in the 14-month-old group was lower and the expression of HSP 70 mRNA in the 12 and 16-month-old group was significantly higher in the paraventricular nucleus (all P < 0.05), the expression of HSP 70 in the 12 and 14-month-old groups and HSP 70 mRNA in the 12-month-old group was significantly increased in the arcuate nucleus (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while the expression of HSP 70 in the 14-month-old group and HSP 70 mRNA in the 12 and 16-month-old group was significantly decreased in the supraoptic nucleus (all P < 0.05), the content of CRH and ACTH decreased significantly in 14-month group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), but the content of beta-EP obviously went up in the 12-month-old group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Preventive moxibustion at the acupoint of "Guanyuan" (CV 4) can regulate the expression of stress proteins, genes and hormones in the hypothalamus for the natural menopausal rats, which might be playing a protective role.</p>

Multi-central randomized controlled study on electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40) for regulating blood lipids / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at Fenglong (ST 40) on blood lipids.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and four patients of hyperlipidemia were randomly divided into a Fenglong group and a Xuezhikang group, 102 cases in each group. The patients in the Fenglong group were treated with electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40). After arrival of qi, the needles were connected with acupoint nerve stimulator (LH 202 H type, HANS). The primary parameters of EA: for high triglycerides (TG) type, AM 50 Hz, intensity 1 mA, needle-retained time 20 min, twice per week; for high cholesterol (CHO) type, AM 100 Hz, intensity 1 mA, needle-retained time 30 min, thrice per week; for high low-density-lipoprotein (LDL-C) type, the same parameters as the high CHO type except the tolerable and comfortable intensity; for the mixing type, corresponding methods were alternatively used. The patients in the Xuezhikang group received Xuezhikang capsule orally, 2 capsules each time and twice daily, for total 11 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rates of the Fenglong group and the Xuezhi-kang group were 83.0% and 85.9%, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05), and there was no significant differences in the function of regulating blood lipids between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After one month follow-up survey, the total CHO, TG and LDL-C decreased and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL-C) increased, of which there was a significant difference in TG reduction (P < 0.05). There were no relapses in both groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA at Fenglong (ST 40) can effectively regulate blood lipids with a better after-effect, which can be applied as a safe and effective method to replace medication for regulating blood lipids.</p>

Effects of electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40) on SOD and MDA in different organs of the hyperlipemia rat / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To probe into the target organ of Fenglong (ST 40) and the mechanism in resolving phlegm.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, a blank control group, a model group and a Fenglong group, 10 rats in each group. The hyperlipemia rat model was prepared by feeding high fat forage. The blank control group were fed by basic forage each day, and other 2 groups were fed with high fat forage each day. After the rats were fed for 2 weeks, EA was given at "Fenglong" (ST 40) in the rats of the Fenglong group, twice each week, for 10 times. At the end of EA treatment, SOD activities and MDA contents in the spleen, lung, liver and pancreas were detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Acupuncture at "Fenglong" (ST 40) significantly increased SOD activities in the spleen and lung, decreased MDA content in the lung, and had a tendency to decrease SOD activity and to increase MDA content in the liver, while it did not significantly influence SOD activity and MDA content in the pancreas.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The target organs of "Fenglong" (ST 40) regulating SOD activity and MDA content are spleen, lung and liver, particularly, spleen and lung, with no relation with pancreas. It is indicated that the resolving phlegm function of "Fenglong" (ST 40) is related with promoting metabolism of free radiations in special organs.</p>

Discussion on the national standard, the Name and Location of Acupoints / 中国针灸

Location of a part of acupoints in the national standard, The Name and Location of Acupoints, are studied. In combination with anatomy, record of ancient literature and teaching experience, the location of Naohui (TE 13), Chengshan (BL 57), Fengshi (GB 31), Zhongdu (GB 32), Toulinqi (GB 15), Yinbao (LR 9) and Shaoshang (LU 11) in the national standard are analyzed and the relative location methods are raised.

Experimental study on changes of expressions of ER-alpha and ER-alpha mRNA in different hypothalamic nuclei and the effect of "preventive acupuncture and moxibustion" in ovariectomy rats / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the mechanism of "preventive acupuncture and moxibustion" for regulating hypothalamic function in ovariectomy rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty female SD rats, aged 3.5 months, were randomly divided into normal group, sham operation group, ovariectomy model group, preventive acupuncture group and preventive moxibustion group. After "preventive acupuncture and moxibustion" were previously given to the preventive acupuncture group and the preventive moxibustion group for one month, respectively. At the same time, ovarietomy was made in the preventive acupuncture group, the preventive moxibustion group and the ovariectomy model group. For the sham operation group, only a little fat around the ovary was removed without ovariectomy, and nothing was not applied to the normal group. Immunohistochemical and in situs hybridization methods were used to investigate changes of expressions of ER-alpha and ER-alpha mRNA in paraventricular nucleus, supraoptic nucleus and arcuate nucleus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the model group the expressions of ER-alpha and ER-alpha mRNA in paraventricular nucleus and the expression of ER-alpha mRNA in supraoptic nucleus increased significantly (P<0.01), but the expression of ER-alpha dropped significantly in both supraoptic nucleus and arcuate nucleus (P<0.01). After preconditioning with acupuncture or moxibustion, the expression of ER-alpha mRNA in paraventricular nucleus significantly reduced (P<0.05), and the expression of ER-alpha had no significant change (P>0.05); the expression of ER-alpha in supraoptic nucleus and arcuate nucleus significantly increased (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the expression of ER-alpha mRNA in paraventricular nucleus had no significant change (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>"Preventive acupuncture and moxibustion" at "Guanyuan" (CV 4) have an effect on the expressions of ER-alpha and ER-alpha mRNA in different hypothalamic nuclei in ovariectomy rats, which possibly is one of the ways for modulating the hypothalamic activity.</p>

Study on optimization parameters of electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40) for adjusting blood lipids / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of different parameters (frequency, intensity, needle-retained time and treatment interval) of electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40) for adjusting blood lipids, so as to find out the optimization parameter.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-four cases meeting the criteria for hyperlipoidemia were randomly divided into 27 groups with orthogonal design L27 (3(13) ). According to the orthogonal design program they were treated with electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40). Ten sessions constituted one course with a one week's interval between two course. The treatment was given for 2 courses.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The parameters of EA at Fenglong (ST 40) for regulating blood lipids in primary and secondary orders are: frequency, needle-retained time, interval of treatment, intensity. (2) The parameters of EA at Fenglong (ST 40) for various programs in regulating various blood lipids are: for TG, frequency AM 50 Hz, needle-retained time 20 ain, intensity 1 mA, twice each week; for TC, frequency AM 100 Hz, needle-retained time 30 min, intensity 1 mA, once every other day; for LDL-C, frequency Am 100 Hz, needle-retained time 30 min, intensity tolerable and comfortable, once every other day.</p>