ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To comparatively study the effects of three TCM methods for activating blood circulation, i.e. in combined with resolving stasis (A), regulating qi (B) and supplementing qi (C), respectively, on early stage cell apoptosis in precancerous lesion of rats with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat model of CAG with precancerous lesion was duplicated by insertion of spring in pylorus and gastric perfusion of high-salt hot paste; and the impact of treatment on cell apoptosis was determined using Annexin V/PI double labeled flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After being intervened for 12 weeks, the early stage cell apoptosis rate in the natural recovery group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P <0.01); while it lowered more significantly in the three groups receiving TCM therapeutic methods for activating blood circulation, showing significant difference compared with the natural recovery group (P <0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Three therapies of activating blood circulation all show inhibitory action on the early stage apoptosis of precancerous lesion in CAG rats, which is possibly one of their action mechanisms for improving or reversing the precancerous lesion.</p>