Herbal-cake-partitioned moxibustion of "Shenque" (CV8) has a relative specific effect in relieving abdominal pain and in regulating neuroendocrine-immune network in primary dysmenorrhea rats / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of herbal-cake-partitioned moxibustion (HCPM) of "Shenque" (CV8) and "Daheng" (SP15) on abdominal pain, plasma β-endorphin (β-EP), uterine prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) levels, as well as splenetic natural killer cell (NK cell) activity in primary dysmenorrhea (PD) rats, so as to explore the specificity of acupoint function and the underlying mechanisms of moxibustion in relieving dysmenorrhea. METHODS: A total of 40 female rats were randomized into blank control, model, CV8-direct moxibustion, CV8-HCPM and SP15-HCPM groups (n＝8 rats in each). The PD model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate injection (0.2-0.5 mg/rat) for 10 consecutive days and intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin (2 U) 24 h after the last subcutaneous injection. Moxibustion or herbal-cake (composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Cortex Cinnamomi, etc.)-partitioned moxibustion was applied to CV8, SP15 or umbilicus respectively for 7 moxa-cones every time, once daily for 10 successive days. The rats of the control and model groups were also restrained as those in the moxibustion groups. The writhing times within 30 minutes was recorded and the contents of plasma β-EP, uterine PGE2 and PGF2α were detected by ELISA, and NK cell activity was detected using MTT. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the writhing times and the content of PGF2α in the uterus tissue were significantly increased in the model group (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Moxibustion of both CV8 and SP15 can relieve abdominal pain in PD rats, which may be closely associated with its effect in suppressing PD-induced decrease of plasma β-EP and uterine PGE2 levels and splenetic NK cell activity and increase of uterine PGF2α. The therapeutic effect of CV8-HCPM is obviously better than that of SP15-HCPM and CV8-direct moxibustion.

Effects of the Acupoint Catgut Embedding on Nerve-Endocrine-Immune Network in Dysmenorrhea Rats / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To explore the underlying mechanism of acupoint catgut embedding in improving primary dysme-norrhea (PD) in rats based on functional activities of the neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) network. METHODS: Forty female rats were equally randomized into blank control, PD model, medication, and acupoint catgut embedding groups. The PD model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate (0.5 mg/rat on the 1st and 10th d, and 0.2 mg/rat from 2nd to 9th d) and oxytocin (2 U/rat, i．p.). Rats of the medication group were treated by intragastric perfusion of fenbid (0.8 mL/rat, 125 mg/100 mL), once daily for 10 days. The catgut embedding was applied to bilateral "Ciliao" (BL 32), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Guanyuan" (CV 4) before modeling. The body writhing times in 30 minutes were recorded, plasma β-endorphin(β-EP) content, and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F 2 α (PGF2α) contents in the uterus tissue were assayed using ELISA, and the activity of natural killer cell (NK cell) in the spleen tissue was detected using 3-(4，5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2，5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method after isolation and co-culture with K 562 cells. RESULTS: The body writhing times were no-tably more in the model group than in the control group (P0.05). CONCLUSION: The acupoint catgut embedding has a significant efficacy in relieving PD in rats, which may be related to its effect in up-regulating plasma β-EP, uterus PGE2 contents and splenic NK cell activity and in down-regulating uterus PGF2α level.

Controlled study on different acupoint-prescription for the acupoint catgut embedding therapy in treatment of bronchial asthma / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To probe into the best acupoint-prescription for the simple acupoint catgut embedding therapy in treatment of bronchial asthma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: the simple acupoint catgut embedding at Feishu (BL 13), Danzhong (CV 17) and Shenshu (BL 23) group (group A), the simple acupoint catgut embedding at Shenshu (BL 23) group (group B), the simple acupoint catgut embedding at Feishu (BL 13) and Danzhong (CV 17) group (group C), Dexamethasone group (group D), model group (group E), and control group (group F), 8 rats in each group. The asthmatic models were established by Ovalbumin (OVA) except group F. Rats in group A, B and C were treated with catgut embedding at the corresponding acupoints from the first experimental day. In group E and D, Dexamethasone and sterile were intraperitoneal injected respectively from the 15th experimental day, once a day for 2 weeks consistantly. No interventions were added on group F. For the six groups, the symptoms of asthmatic attack were observed and the pathologic changes of lung tissue were examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The times of sneeze and rhinocnesmus scratching nose in group E were increased significantly compared with those in group F (both P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between group D and F (both P > 0.05). As compared with that in group E, except the times of sneeze in group C, the times mentioned above were decreased significantly in all the treatment groups (all P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between group A and D (both P > 0.05), but the times mentioned above were increased significantly in group B and C as compared with that in group A (all P < 0.01). (2) The symptoms of asthmatic attack and the pathologic changes of airway tissue were all alleviated in group A, B and C, but a better amelioration was observed in group A, with no mucus epistom in the bronchial lumen and few infiltrations of inflammatory cells around the bronchi.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The improvement of the simple acupoint catgut embedding at "Feishu" (BL 13), "Danzhong" (CV 17)and "Shenshu" (BL 23) on the airway inflammation in asthmatic rats is better than that of catgut embedding at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Danzhong" (CV 17) or at "Shenshu" (BL 23) only.</p>

Effect of the simple acupoint catgut embedding on the expression of ICAM-1, NF-kappaB and airway inflammation in rats with asthma / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the underlying mechanism of the simple acupoint catgut emhedding on the treatment of the asthma in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty two Wistar rats with asthma were estahlished hy ovalhumin (OVA), and randomly divided into four groups: the simple acupoint catgut emhedding group (A), Dexamethasone group (B), model group (C), control group (D), 8 cases in each group. In group A, emhed thread was carried out on the first experimental day, "Feishu (BL 13)" "Danzhong (CV 17)" "Shenshu (BL 23)" were selected. In the group B and the group C, 1.5 mg/kg Dexamethasone and 20 mg/kg sterile water were intraperitoneal injected respectively from the 15th experimental day, once a day for 2 weeks consistently. There was no treatment in the group D. For the four groups, asthmatic attack was ohserved, the cells in hronchoalveolar lavage fluid were counted and classified, the pathologic change of lung tissue was examined, the level of ICAM-1 and NF-kappaB in hronchioles was detected with immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) In the group A, the symptom of asthmatic attack was alleviated and the infiltration of inflammatory cells around the hronchi were remarkahly decreased. In the group C, the total amount of cells in hronchoalveolar lavage fluid and other inflammatory cells were ohviously higher than those of group A. On the other hand, inflammatory effusion in airway and infiltration of inflammatory cells in airway wall in the group A were lower than those of group C. (2) The expression of ICAM-1 and NP-kappaB in lung tissue of group C was higher than those of group D (P < 0.01). (3) The expression of ICAM-1 and NF-kappaB in lung tissue of group B and group A was ohviously lower than those of group C (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The simple acupoint catgut emhedding can inhahit the expression of ICAM-1 and NP-kappaB and alleviate airway inflammation in the asthmatic rats.</p>