ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the role of intensity of plum-blossom needle tapping in treating alopecia areata.Methods: The BALB/c mice were randomized into a normal group, a control group, a roller-needle (RN) group, a mild plum-blossom needle (MP) group, and a heavy plum-blossom needle (HP) group. An area of hair was removed by external application of 8% sodium sulfide on BALB/c mice. The hair regrowth, hair follicle changes, and local inflammatory factor changes after cutaneous acupuncture were observed.Results: After treated with sodium sulfide, the hair was completely removed, the local hair follicles reached the catagen phase, and the expressions of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and IL-17 were increased. Mice intervened by RN achieved the same hair growth rating as the controls but with thicker hair shafts; mice in the MP group had incomplete and uneven hair growth but thicker hair shafts; mice in the HP group didn't show hair growth. Pathological analysis revealed significant inflammatory infiltration into the local follicle bulbs and increased catagen-phase follicles in the control group, while RN and MP groups showed significantly increased anagen-phase follicles, coarser individual hairs, and obvious hair shafts. Meanwhile, most of the hair follicles in the HP group were in telogen phase and showed obvious surrounding inflammatory infiltration. RN, MP, and HP significantly down-regulated the increased IL-2, IL-1α, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels (P0.05).Conclusion: Cutaneous acupuncture with heavy stimulation intensity can inhibit hair growth in hair removal mice, while RN, with the lightest stimulation intensity, is unlikely to affect hair growth but may make hair shafts thicker and follicles larger.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and action mechanism of abdominal acupuncture plus plum-blossom needle tapping for primary insomnia.Methods:A total of 66 eligible cases were randomly allocated into an observation group (n=33) and a control group (n=33). Cases in the observation group received abdominal acupuncture plus plum-blossom needle tapping, whereas cases in the control group received abdominal acupuncture alone. After 2, 6 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks after end of treatment, the patients in both groups were evaluated using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and measure your medical outcome profile (MYMOP) based on the patients' self-report. Results:After 2 weeks of treatment, the total effective rate was 90.9% in the observation group, versus 63.6% in the control group, showing a statistical difference (P0.05). After 6 weeks, the sleep quality and efficiency scores in the observation group were better than those in the control group. Four weeks after end of treatment, the scores of sleep quality and MYMOP in the observation group were better than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Abdominal acupuncture plus plum-blossom needle tapping can obtain fast, accurate effect for primary insomnia and improve patients' sleep quality and efficiency.
ABSTRACT
32 cases of psoriasis were treated by cotton moxibustion. First, the dermal needle was used to tap the local skin lesion till slight bleeding. Then after an extreme thin layer of absorbent cotton was stuck on the skin lesion, the cotton was ignited with a match and then fire was flown off immediately.This procedure was repeated for 3 - 4 times. After treatment for 2 months, the results showed clinical cure in 23 cases, remarkable effect in 6 cases and improvement in 3 cases, indicating that cotton moxibustion treatment for psoriasis could speed up local blood circulation, improve micro-circulation of the skin, enhance the immune function of the human body and eliminate the papules and skin lesion.