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OBJECTIVE@#The present study investigated how mild moxibustion treatment affects the intestinal microbiome and expression of NLRP3-related immune factors in a rat model of intestinal mucositis (IM) induced with 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu).@*METHODS@#Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, chemotherapy, moxibustion and probiotics groups. The IM rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu. Mild moxibustion treatment and intragastric probiotic administration were provided once daily for 15 days. Tissue morphology, serum levels of inflammatory factors and the expression levels of tight junction proteins, caspase-1, gasdermin D and NLRP3 were evaluated in colon tissue, through hematoxylin and eosin staining, electron microscopy, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. Gut microbiome profiling was conducted through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing.@*RESULTS@#Moxibustion and probiotic treatments significantly increased the expression levels of tight junction proteins, reduced cell apoptosis and the expression levels of caspase-1, gasdermin D and NLRP3; they also decreased the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and IL-18, while increasing serum levels of IL-10. Moxibustion and probiotic treatments also corrected the reduction in α-diversity and β-diversity in IM rats, greatly increased the proportion of the dominant bacterial genus Lactobacillus and reduced the abundance of the genera Roseburia and Escherichia in chemotherapy-treated rats to levels observed in healthy animals. We also found that these dominant genera were firmly correlated with the regulation of pyroptosis-associated proteins and inflammatory factors. Finally, moxibustion and probiotic treatments elicited similar effects in regulating intestinal host-microbial homeostasis and the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome-related factors.@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion exerts its therapeutic effect on IM by ameliorating mucosal damage and reducing inflammation. Moreover, moxibustion modulates the gut microbiota, likely via decreasing the expression levels of the NLRP3 inflammasome.
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Objective: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of acupoint application at different groups of acupoints in treating bronchial asthma in remission stage. Methods:A total of 120 patients with bronchial asthma in remission stage were recruited and divided by the random number table method into acupoint application group 1, acupoint application group 2 and acupoint application group 3, with 40 cases in each group. In all the three groups, Tiantu (CV 22), Dazhui (GV 14) and Feishu (BL 13) were selected, with Dingchuan (EX-B 1) added in acupoint application group 1, Shenshu (BL 23) added in acupoint application group 2, and Gaohuang (BL 43) added in acupoint application group 3. Before intervention, one month and 3 months after intervention, clinical symptoms, peak expiratory flow (PEF) andforced expiratory volume in 1 second percentage of predicted value (FEV1％) of the three groups were observed, and their clinical efficacies were evaluated. Results: Comparing the therapeutic efficacy regarding traditional Chinese medicine symptoms and signs, after 1-month treatment, the total effective rate was 87.5％ in acupoint application group 1, versus 62.5％ in acupoint application group 2 and 55.0％ in acupoint application group 3, and the between-group differences were statistically significant. After 3-month treatment, the total effective rate was 95.0％ in acupoint application group 1, versus 70.0％ in acupoint application group 2 and 65.0％ in acupoint application group 3, and the between-group differences were statistically significant. After intervention, the three groups all showed significant improvements in pulmonary function with statistical significance; among the three groups, the improvement in acupoint application group 1 was more significant than that in the other two groups. Conclusion: Tiantu (CV 22), Dazhui (GV 14) and Feishu (BL 13) as basic prescription plus Dingchuan (EX-B 1) can improve symptoms of bronchial asthma in remission stage, and it works better in improving pulmonary function than the basic prescription plus Shenshu (BL 23) or Gaohuang (BL 43).
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Exosome is a kind of nanoscale-size extracellular vesicles secreted by the means of cell active stimulation with outer membrane structure of vacuoles corpuscle. It can carry and transfer a lot of biological molecules, such as DNA fragments, circular RNA (circRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), functional proteins, transcription factors, etc., so as to achieve the goal of information transmission between cells. The relationship between exosomes and diabetes has received extensive attention in recent years. The exosomes play an important role in insulin sensitivity, glucose homeostasis and vascular endothelial function. This paper reviews the role of exosomes in the occurrence and development of diabetes and its complications, and discusses the role and prospect of exosomes as a target for diabetes treatment and its role in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.
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Humans , Diabetes Mellitus , Diagnosis , Therapeutics , Exosomes , Metabolism , Insulin Resistance , Physiology , MicroRNAs , Metabolism , RNA, Messenger , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study clinical effects of needle Dao for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From July 2014 to December 2016, 60 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were divided into two groups: needle Dao treatment group(treatment group), and brace and medicine treatment group(control group), 30 cases in each group. There were 8 males and 22 females in the treatment group, with an average age of (49.38±7.43) years old. There were 7 males and 23 females in the control group, with an average age of (50.23±8.71) years old. There were no statistically significant differences between two groups before treatment in age, sex, course of disease, sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV), sensory nerve action potential (SNAP), and distal motor latency(DML). The patients in the treatment group were treated with needle Dao for 1 to 2 times, while the patients in the control group were given celecoxib, vitamin B1 and vitamin B12, with the brace fixed. After treatment, the changes of SCV, SNAP and DML in two groups were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the SCV were (48.63±7.33) m/s and (41.24±6.15) m/s in treatment group and control group separately, the SNAP were (9.89±3.71) m/s and (8.22±2.19) m/s, and the DML were(5.11±2.28) m/s and (6.13±2.23) m/s. The SCV, SNAP and DML after treatment were better than those before treatment(<0.05). And the results of SCV, SNAP and DML of patients in the treatment group were better than those of patients in the control group(<0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Needle Dao can effectively improve the overall treatment efficiency of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and reduce the symptoms of patients, which is feasible and suitable to use in clinical.</p>
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Objective:To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture for persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR).Methods:A total of 154 PAR patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group,78 cases in the treatment group received acupuncture at meridian points,while 76 cases in the control group received acupuncture at non-meridian points.The treatment was done every other day,3 times a week for a total 4 weeks.The total nasal symptom score (TNSS),the total non-nasal symptom score (TNNSS) and the rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) were measured before the treatment and after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment,as well as 1 month and 3 months after the treatment to compare the clinical effect between the two groups.Results:After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate in the treatment group was 92.3％,versus 76.3％ in the control group,showing a statistically significant difference (P＜0.05).Intra-group comparisons of TNSS,TNNSS and RQLQ scores after 4 weeks of treatment showed statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05).Between-group comparisons of TNSS,TNNSS and RQLQ score after 4 weeks of treatment and in follow-up visits showed statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture is effective for PAR,and acupuncture at meridian points can produce a better effect than acupuncture at non-meridian points.
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Breast cancer has the highest incidence rate among all women's malignant tumors worldwide.Surgery,radiotherapy and chemotherapy are three major treatments,while most patients showed adverse effects or complications during or after the treatment,including lymphedema,gastrointestinal reactions and leukopenia,which cause severe impact on patients' recovery and quality of life.Moxibustion has been used and certified to alleviate adverse effects of surgery or chemoradiotherapy for breast cancer.We have summarized literatures in recent years and suggest more systematic research in the future for the underlying mechanism.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine whether acupuncture treatment would improve outcome in chronic Achilles tendinopathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A randomized, controlled trial at two centers of 64 randomized patients aged 18 to 70 years with chronic Achilles tendinopathy was conducted from July 2007 to April 2010, with follow-up until October, 2010. These patients were randomly allocated into an acupuncture treatment group (acupuncture group) and an eccentric exercises group (control group). The validated Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire was completed at baseline and 8, 16, and 24 weeks. The pain at rest and after activity was accessed at baseline and 8 weeks with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After randomization into the acupuncture group or control group, one patient was loss of follow-up. The mean VISA-A score improved signifificantly after 8 weeks in the acupuncture group to 67.1 points [95% confifidence interval (CI), 64.1-70.2] and in the control group to 48.5 points (95% CI, 45.5-51.6) with an additional 18.6 points increase in acupuncture treatment patients (P=0.0000). Acupuncture treatment resulted in a significant increase from baseline in VISA-A of 25.8 after 16 weeks and 28.4 after 24 weeks. Whereas, in the control group the increase from baseline in VISA-A were 10.0 and 16.6 after 16 and 24 weeks, respectively (P=0.0000). The VAS diminished by 2.0 cm after activity, and by 1.5 cm at rest after 8 weeks in the control group. In the acupuncture group, the pain scores diminished significantly more than in the control group, with pain reduction of 3.7 cm after activity (P=0.0000) and 3.2 cm at rest (P =0.0000).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture intervention could improve pain and activity in patients with chronic Achilles tendinopathy compared with eccentric exercises.</p>