Effects of acupuncture at different Shichen (traditional twelve two-hour periods) on serum SOD and MDA in guinea pigs / 中国针灸

<p><b>UNLABELLED</b>OBJECTIVE To compare anti-oxidative effects of acupuncture at different Shichen (traditional twelve two-hour periods) accordin-17:00), You (17:00-19:00), Xu (19:00-21:00), Hui (21:00-23:00) periods according to the eight methods of the intelligent turtle, once each day, for 7 consecutive days. Changes of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity after treatment were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SOD activities and MDA contents at the 12 periods were different in the healthy guinea pigs, SOD activity at Wu period was the highest and the lowest at Zi period; MDA content was the highest at Zi period and the lowest at Wu period. The needling method according to eight methods of the intelligent turtle could increase SOD activity in the guinea pigs. The increasing amplitude of SOD activity was the largest at Mao period and the smallest at the Wu period; it also could decreased MDA content, the decreasing amplitude of MDA was the largest at Wu period and the smallest at Hai period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at different periods according to eight methods of intelligent turtle has different effects on serum SOD and MDA, which can increase SOD activity and decrease MDA content in the healthy guinea pig.</p>

Effects of eight methods of intelligent turtle on free radical metabolism in the kidney-yang deficiency model guinea pigs / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe effects of moxibustion according to opening points on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle on aging and the mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Healthy and adult guinea pigs were randomly divided into 5 groups, a prevention group of kidney-yang deficiency model with eight method of intelligent turtle (group I), a prevention group of kidney-yang deficiency model (group II) with moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4), a group of treatment group of kidney-yang deficiency model with eight methods of intelligent turtle (group III), a treatment group of kidney-yang deficiency model (group IV) with moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4) and a control group of kidney-yang deficiency. Effects of moxibustion according to opening on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle and moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4) on superoxide dismulase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After modeling, no signs of kidney-yang deficiency and no significant changes of SOD and MDA were found in group I and II; but obvious symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency and decrease of SOD (P < 0.01) and increase of MDA (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) were found in group III, IV and V; after treatment, in the group III); the symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency basically disappeared, SOD increased (P < 0.01) and MDA decreased (P < 0.01), with no significant differences as compared with those before modeling (P > 0.05); in the group N, the symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency significantly improved and SOD increased (P < 0.05) with difference as compared with those before modeling (P < 0.05), and MDA decreased (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference compared with that before modeling (P > 0.05); the symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency, SOD and MDA did not significantly change in group V (P > 0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both moxibustion according to opening points on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle and moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4) can effectively regulate free radical metabolism and have obvious action of preventing and treating kidney-yang deficiency in the model guinea pigs, and the therapeutic action of moxibustion according to opening points on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle is better than that of moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4).</p>