Effects of different courses of moxibustion treatment on intestinal flora and inflammation of a rat model of knee osteoarthritis / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#This study was done to determine the effects of different courses of moxibustion on a rat knee osteoarthritis (KOA) model, and explore the dose-effect relationship of moxibustion on KOA from the perspectives of intestinal flora and inflammatory factors.@*METHODS@#Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal, model, moxibustion for 2 weeks, moxibustion for 4 weeks and moxibustion for 6 weeks groups (n = 5 each group). A KOA rat model was induced by monosodium iodoacetate, and moxibustion intervention was performed at the acupoints "Dubi" (ST35) and "Zusanli" (ST36), once every other day. Pathologic changes in the cartilage of rat knee joints were assessed after intervention, and fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing for microbial diversity analysis.@*RESULTS@#Damage to the knee articular cartilage was obvious in the model group, which also had increased levels of pro-inflammatory factors, decreased levels of anti-inflammatory factors, and intestinal flora disorders with decreased diversity. The degree of cartilage damage in the 4 and 6 weeks of moxibustion groups was significantly improved compared with the model group. The 4 and 6 weeks of moxibustion groups also demonstrated reduced levels of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α and increased levels of interleukin-10 (P < 0.05). Both the abundance and diversity of the intestinal flora were increased, approaching those of the normal group. Abundances of probiotics Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group and Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 increased, while that of the pathogenic bacteria Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group decreased (P < 0.05). Although the abundance of Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group decreased in the 2 weeks of moxibustion group compared with the model group (P < 0.05), there was no statistically significant difference in serum inflammatory factors, flora species diversity or degree of pathological damage compared with the model group.@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion treatment led to significant improvements in the intestinal flora and inflammatory factors of rats with KOA. Moxibustion treatment of 4 and 6 weeks led to better outcomes than the 2-week course. Moxibustion for 4 and 6 weeks can regulate intestinal flora dysfunction with increased probiotics and reduced pathogenic bacteria, reduce pro-inflammatory factors and increase anti-inflammatory factors. No significant differences were seen between the effects of moxibustion for 4 weeks and 6 weeks.

Effect of different courses of heat-sensitive moxibustion on the morphology of surrounding connective tissue and spinal cord in a rat model of osteoporosis / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: It has been proved in clinical practice and basic research that acupuncture and moxibustion at Mingmen acupoint is an effective treatment for primary osteoporosis. As a new therapeutic method, heat-sensitive moxibustion has achieved good results in clinical practice, but the research on its mechanism is still in the blank stage. OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutic mechanism of heat-sensitive moxibustion from the perspective of connective tissue and nervous system, and to explore the optimal therapeutic time of heat-sensitive moxibustion in a certain time range. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into five groups: normal group, model group, 4-, 7-, and 14-day heat-sensitive moxibustion groups. Osteoporosis models were prepared by ovariectomy and treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion at different times. After treatment, the superficial subcutaneous fascia 0.5-1.5 cm around the Mingmen acupoint and the spinal cord were stained with fluorescence and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The concentrations of phosphorus ion, calcium ions and alkaline phosphatase in rat serum were detected before and after 14 days of heat-sensitive sensitive moxibustion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Morphological changes of intrafascial fibers by fluorescence staining: In the normal and model groups, collagen fibers were interlaced and arranged in a network. In the 4-day heat-sensitive moxibustion group, the arrangement of collagen fibers showed no changes. After 14 days of intervention the collagen fibers were stretched and pulled significantly under the effect of heat-sensitive moxibustion, and showed a centripetal arrangement toward the Mingmen acupoint. (2) Hematoxylin-eosin staining results of the spinal cord: After 4 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, the rat spinal cord had no obvious change compared with the model group. After 7 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, anterior cornual neurons increased in number and size, and the number of glial cells in the spinal dorsal horn increased. After 14 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, anterior horn neurons increased significantly in number and in size, with large and round nuclei, obvious nucleoli, and enlarged and regularly arranged nerve fibers; glial cells in the posterior horn increased significantly in number and arranged densely. (3) Serum concentration determination: After 14 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, the concentrations of phosphorus ions and alkaline phosphatase in rat serum increased significantly (P < 0.01), and the concentration of calcium ions decreased significantly (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that heat-sensitive moxibustion can ameliorate the symptoms of osteoporosis through the morphological changes of connective tissue and nerve-body fluid regulation. Heat-sensitive moxibustion for 14 days can achieve ideal results.