Clinical research and the effect mechanism on premature ovarian failure treated with acupuncture in recent 20 years / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To review and collect the study achievements and the effect mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of premature ovarian failure (POF) in recent 20 years so as to provide more references for the clinical treatment of POF with acupuncture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Through retrieving PubMed, CNKI and VIP, the literature on acupuncture for POF was collected from January 1, 1998 through March 31, 2017 regarding the rule of acupoint selection and the therapeutic method. The potential effect mechanism was explored.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Finally, 26 papers on the clinical treatment for POF with acupuncture and 5 ones on the laboratory mechanism were obtained. The differentiated syndromes and the top 3 acupoints for the treatment of POF included syndrome [Taixi (KI 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Guanyuan (CV 4)], syndrome [Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36) and Ciliao (BL 32)], syndrome [Taichong (LR 3), Shenting (GV 24), Guanyuan (CV 4)], the mixed syndrome of and [Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Ganshu (BL 18) and Shenshu (BL 23)], the mixed syndrome of and [Pishu (BL 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Zusanli (ST 36)] and the dysfunction of the thoroughfare vessel and the conception vessel [Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1) and Huangshu (KI 16)]. The top 5 acupoints of the 14 meridians were Guanyuan (CV 4), Shenshu (BL 23), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zhongji (CV 3), Pishu (BL 20), Taixi (KI 3) and Ganshu (BL 18). The local extraordinary points were dominant. According to the use frequency of the acupoints, the first top 5 meridians were the bladder meridian of foot-, the governor vessel, the conception vessel, the spleen meridian of foot- and the kidney meridian of foot-. The most acupoints were distributed in the chest, the abdomen, the lumber region and the lower limbs. Many therapeutic methods were used, such as acupuncture with filiform needle, electroacupuncture, moxibustion and the acupoint thread-embedding therapy. The effect mechanisms possibly referred to the recovery of the sexual level through regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary gland-ovarian axle (HPOA) function, the improvement of the histological morphology of the uterine, the improvement of body immunity through affecting the nerve-endocrine-immune regulation system as well as the regulation of the genetic and protein expressions of the signal pathway relevant with POF.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Even though acupuncture has achieved the therapeutic effects in the clinical treatment of POF, the research on the effect mechanism is still limited. The exploration of acupuncture for POF in terms of mechanism may guide the clinical practice. In the future study, the clinical pathway should be specified and the effect mechanism be explored through the rigorous laboratory design and more objective and rational evaluation system.</p>

Exploration on Clinical Moxibustion Therapy of Chengjiang School Descendant QI Yongji / 浙江中医药大学学报

[Objective]To explore features of moxibustion therapy based on data mining through recorded cases during 1987-1991 by QI Yongji. [Methods] With modern computer technology, applying Epidata 3.1 to screen, record, collect and analyse cases of moxibustion therapy, exporting DTA-format, using Stata software to analyse and explore clinical applying features. [Results] A total of 1514 cases were recorded, including 468 cases of moxa-cone moxibustion, 493 cases of moxa-stick moxibustion. Moxa-cone moxibustion involves 45 points, the top five are A-shi point, ST36, GB34, EX-LE4, LI11; Moxa-stick moxibustion involves 66 points, the top five are A-shi point, EX-LE4, BL43, SI13, BL67. QI Yongji used moxibustion to treat 24 kinds of diseases, including medical, gynecological, orthopedic diseases. [Conclusion] To sum up treatment of diseases based on data mining 4 of which he was good at, consisting of omalgia, elbow strain, Bi syndrome and lumbago Through the integration of his descendants and family in-depth interviews, to generalize three major experiences of the moxibustion therapy: attaching importance to palpation, moxibustion based on syndrome differentiation, flexible use of moxibustion.

Effects of electroacupuncture pretreatment on ovarian function and expression of VEGF in rats with ovulation induction / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on ovarian function in rats with ovulation induction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty SD female rats were numbered according to random number table. According to vaginal smear method, rats of estrus were divided into a normal group (10 rats) and cohabitated with male SD rats with the proportion of 1:1. With computer-generated random number, the remaining rats were divided into a model group and an EA group, 10 rats in each one. The model of superovulation was established with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the model group and EA group. Before model establishment and cohabitation, rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Guanyuan (CV 4)" and "Sanyinjiao (SP 6)", once for 15 min, for consecutive 7 days. Rats in the normal group and model group received no further treatment. The third day 23:00 pm after cohabitation, blood samples in three groups were collected to test the level of estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P). After the rats were sacrificed, the HE staining method was applied to observe the morphological changes of ovarian tissue; the immunohistochemical method was applied to measure the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor VEGFR-2; the real-time quantitative PCR technique was applied to measure the gene expression of VEGF and VEGFR-2.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The number of ovarian follicle in the EA group was higher than that in the model group and normal group (all P < 0.05); the ratio of corpus luteum size to ovarian size in the EA group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.01). The ratio of plasma estradiol to progesterone in the EA group tended to be normal group (P < 0.05) and lower than that in the model group (P < 0.01). The protein expression of VEGF and VEGFR-2 in lutein granulosa cell and follicular fluid in the EA group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05); gene level of VEGF and VEGFR-2 in ovarian tissue in the EA group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA pretreatment has certain protective effect on ovarian function in rats with ovulation induction, which is likely to be related to regulation of VEGF and its receptor.</p>

On the partition of acupuncture academic schools / 中国针灸

Nowadays extensive attention has been paid on the research of acupuncture academic schools, however, a widely accepted method of partition of acupuncture academic schools is still in need. In this paper, the methods of partition of acupuncture academic schools in the history have been arranged, and three typical methods of"partition of five schools" "partition of eighteen schools" and "two-stage based partition" are summarized. After adeep analysis on the disadvantages and advantages of these three methods, a new method of partition of acupuncture academic schools that is called "three-stage based partition" is proposed. In this method, after the overall acupuncture academic schools are divided into an ancient stage, a modern stage and a contemporary stage, each schoolis divided into its sub-school category. It is believed that this method of partition can remedy the weaknesses ofcurrent methods, but also explore a new model of inheritance and development under a different aspect through thedifferentiation and interaction of acupuncture academic schools at three stages.

Effect observation of float needle combined with reperfusion activity for pain induced by cyclomastopathy / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical effect of float needle therapy combined with reperfusion activity for pain induced by cyclomastopathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-five female patients with cyclomastopathy were randomly divided into a comprehensive group (18 cases) and a float needle group (17 cases). In the comprehensive group, float needle manipulation was used at the centre of the biceps brachii belly or the ligature between the affected nipple and breast nodule, about 4 cm beside the exterior margin of the breast, and the reperfusion activity of the affected upper limb and breast was combined. In the float needle group, simple float needle therapy was adopted. In the two groups, treatment was started 7 ± 3 days before menstruation, once every other day. After 3-time treatment, the changes of short form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) scores before and after treatment, the time of pain relieved during the first treatment, recurrence in 3 months after treatment and the adverse reaction were observed. Also, the clinical effects of the two groups were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immediately at the end of the first treatment,after 3-time treatment and while followed up for one month, each item score and the total score of SF-MPQ were decreased apparently than the scores before treatment (all P < 0.05), and all the scores mentioned above of the comprehensive group were declined more obviously than those of the float needle group (all P < 0.05). The time of pain relieved during the first treatment of the comprehensive group was much shorter than that of the float needle group [(94.72 ± 33.67) s vs (162.06 ± 29.16) s, P < 0.01]. The recurrence rate of the comprehensive group in 3 months after treatment was 5.9% (1/17), which was better than 20.0% (3/15) of the float needle group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Float needle therapy combined with reperfusion activity and simple float needle therapy can both safely and effectively improve cyclomastopathy, and the combination therapy is better than simple float needle therapy in the aspects of pain relieving effect at once and the long term effect.</p>

Effects of "menstrual cycle-based acupuncture therapy" on IVF-ET in patients with decline in ovarian reserve / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of "menstrual cycle-based acupuncture therapy" on ovarian function and pregnancy results of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in patients with decline in ovarian reserve (DOR).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 63 patients of DOR who received treatment of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases) and a control group (33 cases). The patients in the observation group were treated with "menstrual cycle-based acupuncture therapy". The syndrome differentiation and treatment were given based on different phases of menstruation. Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) and Mingmen (GV 4) were selected during menstrual phase, Shenshu (BL 23), Geshu (BL 17), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3) were selected after menstruation, Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Zusanli (ST 36) were selected during ovulatory period, Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Taichong (LR 3) were selected before menstruation. The acupuncture was given twice a week until second menstrual cycle of oocyte retrieval. The total times of acupuncture was (15 ± 2). After acupuncture, patients were treated with IVF-ET. The patients in the control group were treated with IVF-ET but no acupuncture. The indices of ovarian reserve function, including basic follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), antral follicle count (AFC), number of retrieved oocytes, number of fertilization and number of high quality embryo, were compared and analyzed before and after acupuncture in the observation group. The differences of outcomes of IVF-ET, including the cycle cancellation rate, implantation rate, the clinical pregnancy rate, were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared before acupuncture, the E2, AFC, number of retrieved oocytes, number of high quality embrgo and number of fertilization were all increased after acupuncture in the observation group (all P< 0. 05). Compared with the control group, levels of the E2, the number of retrieved oocytes, number of fertilization and number of high quality embryo were all increased in the observation group (all P < 0.05). Also, the implantation rate, the clinical pregnancy rate were improved (both P < 0.01) and cycle cancellation rate was reduced (P< 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The "menstrual cycle-based acupuncture therapy" can effectively improve the ovarian reserve function in DOR patients, leading to an improved clinical pregnancy rate of IVF-ET.</p>

Effects of Pricking Bloodletting Therapy on Local Anti-inflammatory Cytokine in Rats with Acute Gouty Arthritis on Ankle / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To explore the anti- inflammatory of pricking blood therapy in acute gouty arthritis rats. Methods 60 Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into normal group, bloodletting normal group, sham group, arthritis group, bloodletting group and ibuprofen group. The acute gouty arthritis model was established with injecting uric acid sodium salt into the right ankle joint cavity. The ibuprofen group was administrated with ibuprofen intragastrically, the bloodletting normal group and bloodletting group were pricked the right Kunlun (BL60) acupoint. The cross section diameter of the right ankle joint were measured before and after treatment. Levels of mRNA and protein of interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-4 expressed in ankle were determined with RT-PCR and Western blotting Results The cross section diameter increased in the bloodletting group compared with the normal group after treatment (P<0.05), and decreased (P<0.05) compared with the arthritis group and the ibuprofen group, while the expression of IL-10 mRNA increased (P<0.05) compared with the normal group, the arthritis group and the ibuprofen group, as well as the IL-10 protein compared with the normal group and the arthritis group (P< 0.05). The expression of IL-4 mRNA and protein increased without significance (P>0.05) in the bloodletting group compared with the normal group. Conclusion IL-10 may play a role of anti-inflammatory in pricking bloodletting therapy for acute gouty arthritis.

From manual workshop to international standard maker: exploration on production standard of acupuncture needle by Chengjiang acupuncture school / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT The exploration course on production standard of acupuncture needle by Chengjiang acupuncture school is reviewed in this paper. After new China was established, acupuncture needle standard was unified by Mr. CHENG Dan-an, which guided Suzhou Hua Erfang (predecessor of Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory) to make the quality standards and testing methods of acupuncture needle and improved the production process to make the modern acupuncture needle. Based on this, Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory followed the time development pace, ac tively introduced new technology, carried out technological innovation, and constantly improved the level of production technology, as a result, it gradually developed into one of the world's largest acupuncture needle production suppliers. Meanwhile, after establishing China's first national standard on acupuncture needle (GB 2024-1980), the Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory took the lead to draft "ISO) 17218:2014 the disposable use asepsis acupuncture needle", which was officially published as an international standard. The Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory developed from a manual workshop to an international standard maker.