ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the protective mechanism of acupuncture plus mild hypothermia for cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) by observing the effects of acupuncture plus mild hypothermia on miRNA-204 and its target gene expressions in CIRI rat brain tissues. Methods: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a blank control group, a sham operation group, a model group, an acupuncture group, a mild hypothermia group and an acupuncture plus mild hypothermia group according to the random number table method (n=10). Except for the blank control group and the sham operation group, rats in the other 4 groups received CIRI modeling. After the model was successfully established, rats in the blank control group were bred routinely for 72 h without any interventions; rats in the sham operation group and the model group were bred routinely for 72 h, and only received binding without other interventions after surgery; rats in the acupuncture group were bred routinely for 72 h, and received acupuncture at Dazhui (GV 14), Baihui (GV 20) and Shuigou (GV 26) after binding; rats in the mild hypothermia group were bred routinely for 72 h, and received mild hypothermia intervention for 72 h after binding; rats in the acupuncture plus mild hypothermia group were bred routinely for 72 h, followed by receiving acupuncture as in the acupuncture group and mild hypothermia therapy as in the mild hypothermia group after binding. The neurological impairment score, cerebral infarction area ratio, the expressions of miRNA-204 and its target genes including Map3k8, Ntrk2 and Ppp3r1 in the ischemic hippocampus of each group were observed after 72 h of intervention. Results: Before intervention, compared with the blank control group and the sham operation group, the neurological impairment scores and the infarction area ratios of the modelled rats were statistically significantly increased (all P<0.01), indicating that the model was successful. After intervention, compared with the model group, the neurological impairment scores of the three intervention groups were significantly reduced (all P<0.01); compared with the acupuncture group and the mild hypothermia group, the infarction area ratio in the acupuncture plus mild hypothermia group was significantly reduced (both P<0.01); compared with the model group, the three intervention groups showed significant inhibition of miRNA-204 expression in brain tissues (all P<0.05), which was most significant in the acupuncture plus mild hypothermia group (P<0.01); compared with the acupuncture group and the mild hypothermia group, the Map3k8 expression in the acupuncture plus mild hypothermia group was significantly increased (both P<0.01), but there were no significant differences in Ntrk2 and Ppp3r1 expressions between groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture, mild hypothermia, and acupuncture plus mild hypothermia reduced the neurological impairment score and the cerebral infarction area in CIRI rats, while acupuncture plus mild hypothermia showed the most significant effect. In regulating miRNA-204 target gene expressions, acupuncture plus mild hypothermia showed the same effect on Ntrk2 and Ppp3r1 expressions, while better effect on Map3k8 expression compared with either acupuncture or hypothermia.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) on related inflammatory cells and inflammatory factors in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthma model rats, and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion in treating asthma. Methods: A total of 48 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a moxibustion group and a medication group, with 12 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the rats in the other three groups were subjected to ovalbumin sensitization to stimulate the asthma. At the same time, rats in the moxibustion group received moxibustion at bilateral Feishu (BL 13), and rats in the medication group received dexamethasone by intragastric administration. Rats in the normal and the model groups only received the same fixation and normal saline by intragastric administration. After the interventions, the inspiratory resistance, the expiratory resistance, and the pulmonary compliance were measured for rats in each group; the numbers of the inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were counted; the levels of the involved inflammatory factors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were detected; the pathological morphologies of the lung tissues were observed under light microscope. Results: After modeling, compared with the normal group, the rats in the model group showed obvious asthma attack-like response, significantly increased inspiratory resistance and expiratory resistance (both P<0.01), and significantly reduced pulmonary compliance (P<0.01); thickened tracheal wall and the narrowed tracheal lumen observed under the light microscope; infiltration of inflammatory cells and increased eosinophils in and around the tracheal wall; significantly increased total number of inflammatory cells and proportion of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (all P<0.01); significantly reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ (all P<0.01), and significantly increased levels of IL-4, IL-5 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (all P<0.01) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. After intervention, compared with the model group, rats in the moxibustion and the medication groups showed significantly reduced asthma-like reaction, pathological morphological damage of lung tissue, inspiratory resistance and expiratory resistance (all P<0.01); significantly increased pulmonary compliance (P<0.01); significantly reduced total number of inflammatory cells, proportion of eosinophils, levels of IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-α in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while significantly increased IL-12 and IFN-γ levels (all P<0.01) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; rats in the medication group also showed a significantly reduced IL-10 level in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (P<0.01); there was no statistically significant difference between the moxibustion and the medication groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Both moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) and intragastric administration of dexamethasone can improve the asthma attack-like symptoms of ovalbumin-sensitized rats; regulating the inflammatory cell numbers and the inflammatory factor contents in the lung may be one mechanism of moxibustion in treating asthma.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the difference in clinical efficacy between acupuncture with point selection based on syndrome differentiation along the meridians and acupuncture at non-meridian and non-acupoint points for functional dyspepsia (FD). Methods: A total of 74 FD patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group, with 37 cases in each group. Both groups received acupuncture treatment. Zusanli (ST 36) and Neiguan (PC 6) were selected in the observation group, with Taichong (LR 3) and Neiting (ST 44) added for excess syndrome, and Gongsun (SP 4) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) added for deficiency syndrome. Four non-meridian and non-acupoint points were selected in the control group. The treatments in both groups were performed once a day with a 2-day break after 5 consecutive treatments, which constituted one treatment course. A total of 4 courses were performed. The scores of Nepean dyspepsia index (NDI) and Leeds dyspepsia questionnaire (LDQ) were recorded before and after treatment, and during follow-up (8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks after recruitment) to assess the clinical efficacy. Results: The NDI scores in the two groups after treatment and at each time point during follow-up were higher than those before treatment (all P<0.05), and the LDQ scores were lower than those before treatment (all P<0.05). The NDI scores after treatment and at each time point during follow-up in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.01); the total LDQ score and scores of upper abdominal pain, postprandial satiety and upper abdominal burning sensation after treatment and at each time point during follow-up in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01 or P<0.05).. Conclusion: Acupuncture with point selection based on syndrome differentiation along the meridians has a better curative effect than acupuncture at non meridian and non-acupoint points in the treatment of FD.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze and summarize the commonalities and patterns in acupoint selection for moxibustion treatment of asthma. Methods: Data retrieval was conducted using ‘moxibustion’ and ‘asthma’ as the keywords through China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang) and Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP). Excel 2010 was used to establish the major acupoint database for moxibustion prescriptions in treatment of asthma; data mining methods including association patterns and clustering were adopted to analyze the characteristics and patterns in acupoint selection for moxibustion treatment of asthma. Results: A total of 161 moxibustion prescriptions were recruited. The most commonly used acupoint was Feishu (BL 13), the most commonly used meridian was the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang, and the most commonly treated region was the back. The association rule analysis showed that Feishu (BL 13)-Dazhui (GV 14)-Fengmen (BL 12) had the most significant correlation, and the clustering analysis discovered 5 effective acupoint clusters. Conclusion: In moxibustion treatment of asthma, topical acupoints Feishu (BL 13), Dazhui (GV 14) and Fengmen (BL 12) can be selected, along with the acupoints from the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang and the back.