Effect of acupuncture on NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) through "Qubin" (GB 7) on NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and to explore the action mechanism of acupuncture on promoting the recovery of neural function in rats with ICH.@*METHODS@#Forty SPF six-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a non-acupoint group and an acupuncture group, 10 rats in each group. The rats in the model group, non-acupoint group and acupuncture group were intervened with autologous blood injection to prepare ICH model, while the rats in the sham operation group were only intervened with operation but not injection with autologous blood. About 3 hours after the establishment of the model, the rats in the acupuncture group were intervened with acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) through "Qubin" (GB 7), once every 12 hours, for 7 days; the rats in the non-acupoint group were intervened with acupuncture at the non-acupoint [parallel to the "Baihui" (GV 20), 1 cm next to the midline] on the affected side, and other treatment was the same as the acupuncture group. At the end of the intervention, the composite nerve function score of each group was evaluated; the histomorphology of the hemorrhage penumbra was observed by HE staining; the expression of NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle in the brain was detected by immunohistochemistry; the relative protein expression levels of NLRP3, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in brain were detected by the method of Western blot.@*RESULTS@#Seven days into intervention, compared with the sham operation group, each item score and total score of composite nerve function in the model group were significantly reduced (<0.01, <0.05). There was edema and karyopyknosis in brain neuron as well as necrocytosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in the model group. Compared with the model group and the non-acupoint group, the total score of composite nerve function and the scores of symmetrical movement of limbs (LS) and proprioception of tentacles (VP) in the acupuncture group were increased (<0.01, <0.05), and the cell necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration were relieved. Compared with the sham operation group, NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle expression and the relative protein expression levels of NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 in brain tissue in the model group were increased (<0.01); compared with the model group and the non-acupoint group, NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle expression and the relative protein expression levels of NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 in brain tissue in the acupuncture group were reduced (<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) through "Qubin" (GB 7) could downregulate the expression of NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 in the brain tissue of ICH rats, inhibit the inflammatory response, and promote the recovery of neural function.

Observations on the Therapeutic Effect of Different Waveform Electroacupuncture on Convalescence-stage Peripheral Facial Paralysis / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of different waveform electroacupuncture in treating convalescence-stage peripheral facial paralysis.Methods Ninety-four patients with convalescence-stage peripheral facial paralysis were randomly allocated: 22 cases to treatment group 1, 25 cases to treatment group 2, 23 cases to treatment group 3 and 24 cases to the control group. The same acupoints were selected in different groups. Treatment group 1 received electroacupuncture with continuous waves; treatment group 2, electroacupuncture with sparse-dense waves, treatment group 3, electroacupuncture with interrupted waves; the control group, simple electroacupuncture. Treatment was given once every other day, five times as a course. The Sunnybrook Facial Grading System score was recorded in every group before and at one and three months after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the groups.Results The total efficacy rate was 86.4% in treatment group 1, 88.0% in treatment group 2, 82.6% in treatment group 3 and 62.5% in the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in the total efficacy rate between each of the treatment groups and the control group (P0.05). In each of the treatment groups, there was a statistically significant difference in the Sunnybrook score between before treatment groups and at one or three months after treatment (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the Sunnybrook score at one and three months after treatment between each of the treatment groups and the control group (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the Sunnybrook score at one month after treatment between treatment group 3 and treatment group 1 or 2 (P<0.05).Conclusions Different electroacupuncture treatments all have a marked clinicaleffect on convalescence-stage peripheral facial paralysis. Electroacupuncture with interrupted waves is more effective in restoring facial muscle function in the early stage of convalescence.

Clinical Observation of Acupuncture plus Acupoint Sticking for Allergic Rhinitis / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To compare the therapeutic efficacies between conventional acupuncture plus acupoint sticking and conventional acupuncture alone in treating allergic rhinitis.Method Sixty patients were randomized into two groups, 30 cases in the treatment group and 30 cases in the control group. The treatment group was intervened by conventional acupuncture plus acupoint sticking, while the control group was intervened by conventional acupuncture alone. The symptoms grading scores were evaluated before and after the treatment to compare the scores of sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose and itchy nose of the two groups, and the therapeutic efficacies were compared.Result The total effective rate was 96.7% in the treatment group, significantly higher than 80.0% in the control group (P<0.05);after the intervention, the symptoms scores in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), indicating that the therapeutic efficacy of the treatment group was superior to that of the control group. Conclusion Conventional acupuncture plus acupoint sticking can effectively improve the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, and its therapeutic efficacy is superior to that of the conventional acupuncture.