Efficacy and safety evaluation of fire needling for rats with rheumatoid arthritis / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the therapeutic effect and safety of fire needling on rat with rheumatoid arthritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a methotrexate (MTX) group and a fire needling group, 10 rats in each group. The 0.1 mL of normal saline was subcutaneously injected in rat's right back paw in the normal group, while the other groups received subcutaneous injection of 0.1 mL of complete Freund's adjuvant to establish the model. The pricking method was applied in the fire needling group at "Jiaji" (EX-B 2), "Zusanli" (ST 36) and Ashi points with a depth of 5 mm, once every three days, and totally eight times were required. In the MTX group, with intragastric administration of 2.0 mg/kg per rat, the treatment was given once every seven days, and totally four times were required. The weight, swelling rate of foot, joint pain score and polyarthritis index of rats in each group as well as the pathological change of liver tissue under light microscope were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The weight, swelling rate of foot, joint pain score and polyarthritis index in the model group were significantly higher than those in the normal group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), after the treatment, the above-mentioned indexes in the two treatment groups were obviouly dereased as componed with those in the model group (all P < 0.01), and there were statistical differences between the fire needling group and MTX group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the normal group, inflammatory cells were appeared with a cluster distribution in the liver cells of rats in the model group. The inflammatory cells were reduced in the MTX group and fire needling group, and liver cells had degenerative edema and cell nucleus were largen and deformed in the MTX group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The fire needling has significant efficacy for rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA) without any damage to the liver, which coud have a better control of disease progression of rheumatoid arthritis .</p>

Correlativity of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc with the area location of image / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To probe into the correlativity of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with traction on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc with the three-dimensional location.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the three-dimensional location developed by HU You-gu, the position of the prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc in the spinal canal was located from the sagittal plain, frontal plain and horizontal plain. One hundred and thirty patients with prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc and completion of clinical data were treated with acupuncture, and the therapeutic effects were analyzed with three-dimensional location.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 98 cases in the effective group, 73 cases had the prolapse at the I plane in sagittal location, accounting for 74.49%, 82 cases had the prolapse at the 1, 2 zone in horizontal location, accounting for 83.68%, 52 cases had the prolapse at the a area in frontal location, accounting for 53.06%; among the 32 cases in the ineffective group, 10 cases had the prolapse at the I plane, accounting for 31.25%, 12 cases in the 1, 2 zone, accounting for 37.50%, 3 cases in the a area, accounting for 9.38%. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the location.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The three-dimensional location can objectively show the size, direction, position, and the characteristics of the protruded discs, and correctly infer the pathological changes of the affected nerve root. Acupuncture combined with tract has a better effect on I plane, 1-2 zone, and a area.</p>