Study on acupuncture parameters impacting on the acupuncture effect using cluster analysis in a rat model with middle cerebral artery occlusion / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of acupuncture parameters on the acupuncture effect through the cluster analysis in Wistar rat model with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Duplicated MCAO models by Zea-longa's thread ligation and chose rats with 1-3 scores assessed by Zausinger's six-score method to be grouped. The rats were divided into 6 basic control groups [(including a normal group, a sham group, a model control group, a model group without intervention, a Nimodipine group, a lateral-to-Renzhong (DU6) group] and 6 acupuncture groups [a Neiguan (PC6) group, a Weizhong (BL40) group, a Sanyinjiao (SP6) group, a Chize (LU5) group, a Renzhong (DU6) group and a Feixue (non-acupoint) group]. In the acupuncture groups, for every acupoint or needling site, 9 different parameters [2 factors (frequency and time) and 3 levels (180, 120, and 60 cpm of the frequency and 5, 60, and 180 s of the time)] were set respectively by the orthogonal intersection method, in total 54 groups. The rats were treated by acupuncture with a lifting-thrusting manipulation once every 12 h, in total 6 times. Neurobehavioral scores, cerebral blood flow, infarction rate, microcirculation, light microscopy, etc. were measured. The factor analysis was first applied to get the comprehensive effect scores of the samples in the acupuncture groups and then by which the cluster analysis was made with the statistical software of SPSS17.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For the Neiguan (PC6) group, the exceptional results of acupuncture comprehensive effect were parameters 7, 8, 9, 10; the valid results were parameters 2, 3, 4, and the invalid were parameters 5, 6. For the Weizhong (BL40) group, the exceptional results were parameters 2, 4; the valid results were parameters 3, 5, 6, 7, and the invalid were parameters 8, 9, 10. For the Chize (LU5) group, the exceptional results were parameters 7, 8; the valid results were parameters 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10; and the invalid was parameter 2. For the Sanyinjiao (SP6) group, the exceptional results were parameters 4, 6; the valid results were parameters 2, 3, 5; and the invalid were parameters 7, 8, 9,10. For the Renzhong (DU6) group, the exceptional results were parameters 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10; the valid results were parameters 2, 5; and the invalid was parameter 8. For the Non-acupoint group, the exceptional result was parameter 10; the valid results were parameters 2, 3, 4, 7, 9; and the invalid were parameters 5, 6, 8.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>For each meridian acupoint, different acupuncture parameters could consequently get a different acupuncture effect; each meridian acupoint had the most suitable or optimal acupuncture parameters; acupuncture parameters might be the main factors impacting on acupuncture effect.</p>

Different stimulation intensities of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) for central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) on central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke, and explore dose-effect relationship among different stimulation intensities of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) as well as its optimal treatment plan.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to different acupuncture stimulation intensities which were based on treatment time and needle insertion direction, fifty patients were randomly divided into a Hegu 1 group, a Hegu 2 group, a Hegu 3 group, a Hegu 4 group and a control group, ten cases in each one. Different stimulation intensities of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) combined with facial paralysis acupoints, including Yingxiang (LI 20), Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6) and Quanliao (SI 18), were applied in Hegu 1 to 4 groups; meanwhile acupuncture at stroke acupoints, including Neiguan (PC 6), Shuigou (GV 26) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and medication treatment were adopted. Except acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4), the treatment of the control group was identical as Hegu groups. The treatment duration lasted for 14 days. The House-Brackmann facial never grading systems (H-B), Toronto facial grading system (TFGS), degrees of facial never paralysis (DFNP), facial disability index (FDI) and clinical efficacy were compared among groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Compared before the treatment, H-B, TFGS, DFNP and physical function score in FDI were all improved significantly in the Hegu 1 to 4 groups (all P < 0.05), but social function score in FDI was not obviously improved (all P > 0.05); all the scores in the control group were not evidently changed (all P > 0.05). (2) Compared with the control group, differences of H-B before and after treatment in the Hegu 1 to 4 groups, differences of TFGS in the Hegu 2 group and differences of DFNP in the Hegu 1 and Hegu 2 group were significantly improved (all P < 0.05). The differences of any scale among Hegu 1 to 4 groups were not significant (all P > 0.05), in which the most evident change was found in Hegu 2 group. (3) The total effective rate was 90.0% (9/10), 100.0% (10/10), 90.0% (9/10) and 80.0% (8/10) in Hegu 1 to 4 groups, which were significantly higher than 60.0% (6/10) in the control group (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) has affirmative clinical efficacy on central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke, in which oblique insertion along the opposite direction of meridian for 5 s of twirling manipulation has the best clinical effect.</p>

Cluster analysis for acupoint specificity of acupuncture effect based on cerebral infarction rat model / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study the acupoint specificity through the comprehensive evaluation of the acupuncture effect on rat model with the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Duplicated MCAO model by Zea-longa's thread ligation was assessed by Zausinger's six-point method, and rats with 1-3 scores were chosen to be grouped. According to the randomized and controlled principle, rats were divided into 6 basic control groups (including normal group, sham group, model control group, model group without intervention, Nimodipine group, lateral-to-Renzhong group) and 6 acupuncture groups [including Neiguan (PC6) group, Weizhong (BL40) group, Chize (LU5) group, Sanyinjiao (SP6) group, Renzhong (DU6) group and non-acupoint group]; in each acupoint or non-acupoint 9 different parameter combinations were respectively set by orthogonal intersection method. There were in total 60 groups, and each group had 12 rats. The rats were treated by acupuncture with the lifting-thrusting manipulation every 12 h, in total 6 times. Indices of neurobehavioral scores, cerebral blood flow, infarction rate, microcirculation, and light microscope, etc. were measured. In order to comprehensively evaluate the acupuncture effect to research the specificity of acupoint, a cluster analysis was made with SPSS17.0 for the comprehensive effect scores of the samples computed according to the comprehensive evaluation models, and then sorting and classification were made for the comprehensive effect scores.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the acupuncture groups every acupoint had different therapeutic effect due to different acupuncture parameter combinations; among the acupuncture groups the orders of curative effect were as followings: Neiguan group was of exceptional result, Weizhong group and Sanyinjiao group were of valid results in upper level, Chize group and Renzhong group were of valid results in lower level, and non-acupoint group was of invalid result; the therapeutic result of acupoint group was superior to non-acupoint group; and the curative effect of acupuncture group was also superior to basic control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The acupoint has the specificity of acupuncture effect, and the acupoint specificity is relative.</p>

Efficacy judgment for treating ischemic stroke by acupuncturing at Neiguan (PC6) and the screening for optimal parameters / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To select optimal parameters and judge the comprehensive effect of acupuncture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model was duplicated. Nine acupuncture parameters groups were set up by the frequency of acupuncture (slow, medium, and fast: 60, 120, and 180 times/min) and the acupuncture duration (short, medium, and long: 5, 60, and 180 s). Twisting technique was used in needling at Neiguan (PC6). By taking neurological impairment scoring, leptomeningeal cerebral blood flow, microcirculation (input branch diameter, output branch diameter, input/output), and cerebral infarction rate as effect indicators, the comprehensive effects of different acupuncture parameters at Neiguan (PC6) on MCAO were determined by factor analysis, thus screening the optimal parameters.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By factor analysis, the highest score for comprehensive effect could be achieved with the acupuncture parameters of 180 times/min and 60 s. That is to say, fast frequency and middle time duration could achieve the optimal acupuncture effects, suggesting that appropriate acupuncture time duration should be used under the condition of guaranteeing fast frequency when treating ischemic stroke by needling at Neiguan (PC6).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The 180 times/min and 60 s were the optimal parameter group when needling at Neiguan (PC6) by twisting technique for treating ischemic stroke.</p>

Thinking on acupuncture finger force in the acupuncture quantity study / 中国针灸

As an important link during the whole operation process of acupuncture, it is very necessary to launch quantity study closely related to acupuncture finger force in the acupuncture quantity study. After retrieval of related literatures on finger force during acupuncture in recent 20 years, it was found out that although some exploration on acupuncture finger force had been made, it was scattered and had no deep research, which pointed out it was a weak link in the acupuncture quantity study. So study of finger force should be paid attention to in acupuncture-moxibustion field, the level of theoretical and experimental research and development of measuring instrument on acupuncture finger force should be strengthened, the application of instrument should be expanded in teaching and scientific research areas, which could promote the modernization and internationalization of acupuncture and moxibustion better and faster.

Study progression on the specificity of meridian points effectiveness / 中国针灸

The present situation of the study on the specificity of meridian points effectiveness through checking up the relevant literatures on the study of this subject published in recent 10 years from the databases such as CNKI and SCI are summarized in the paper. It is indicated in the summarization that the effectiveness of meridian points is specific and the meridian points bring their role into play probably through the biological mechanism in the body. But, it is still limitative in systematic, complete and scientific study on such conclusion. In future, the relevant study is required by adopting adequately modern scientific technology and facility, strict and scientific experiment designs as well as assessment method and taking extensive diseases or disease models as the carriers.

Identification of novel inhibitors of the streptogramin group A acetyltransferase via virtual screening / 药学学报

Virginiamycin acetyltransferase D (VatD) plays a vital rule in streptogramins resistance by chemically inactivating streptogramin A. Therefore, it is desirable to discover novel small molecular weight inhibitors of VatD via state-of-the-art virtual screening techniques. This "cocktail" strategy by combining VatD inhibitor with streptogramins may provide new therapeutic opportunity for resistant bacteria infections. Structure-based virtual screening method (molecular docking) was applied to rank and score a chemical database containing 300 000 commercially available compounds against the VatD substrate binding site. Twenty six out of the 200 top scored compounds from the docking calculation were selected and submitted to the VatD enzymatic inhibition assay. The plasmid pRSET B/vatD was constructed and transformed into E. coli (trxB) host cells for over-expression, and VatD enzyme was purified and validated by showing acetyltransferase activity to Virginiamycin M1. Three out of these 26 tested compounds showed enzymatic inhibition on VatD with IC50 168.6, 91.0 and 55.2 micromol x L(-1), separately. Other compounds could not be dissolved in the system and/or had little effect on the enzyme (IC50 > 200 micromol x L(-1)). To our knowledge, it is first time that small molecular weight organic compounds were identified as VatD inhibitors. It is expected that the VatD inhibitors identified at present study could serve as lead compounds for the further development of the novel therapeutic agents to overcome streptogramins resistance.