Mechanism of neural plasticity of acupuncture on chronic migraine / 中国针灸

Chronic migraine is one of neurological disorders with high rate of disability, but sufficient attention has not been paid in this field. A large number of clinical studies have shown traditional Chinese acupuncture is a kind of effective treatment with less side effects. Through the analysis of literature regarding acupuncture and migraine published from 1981 to 2017 in CNKI and PubMed databases, the mechanism of neural plasticity of acupuncture on chronic migraine was explored. It was believed the progress of chronic migraine involved the changes of neural plasticity in neural structure and function, and the neural plasticity related with neural sensitization during the process of chronic migraine was discussed from three aspects of electrophysiology, molecular chemistry and radiography. Acupuncture could treat and prevent chronic migraine via the mechanism of neural plasticity, but there was no related literature, hindering the further spreading and development of acupuncture for chronic migraine.

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis at remission stage treated with acupuncture:a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the differences in the therapeutic effects on relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at remission stage between acupuncture at acupoints and shallow needling therapy at the nearby points.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-two patients of RRMS were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 21 cases in each one. In the observation group, besides the basic treatment, acupuncture was applied according to's empirical prescriptions as "the empirical ten needles" "thirteen needles of the governor vessel" "twelve needles of hand and foot" as well as the symptomatic points. In the control group, the basic treatment was given. Additionally, the shallow needling therapy was given at the sites 0.2 to 0.3lateral to the acupoints, and the arrival ofwas not required. In the two groups, acupuncture was given once a day for 5 days a week, continuously for 2 weeks. At the intervals of 2 weeks, totally the treatment of 3 months was required. The follow-up visit was conducted for 2 years. Separately, the scores of the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) before and in follow-up after treatment, the annual recurrent rate before and after treatment and recurrent interval after treatment were observed in the patients of the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the observation group, EDSS scores in 3-month and 6-month follow-up were reduced as compared with those before treatment (both<0.05) and those in the 12-month and 24-month follow-up were increased (both<0.05). In the control group, EDSS scores were increased in tendency continuously in 3-month, 6-month, 12-month and 24-month follow-up (all<0.05). In each time point of follow-up, the different value of EDSS scores in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (<0.05,<0.01). The annual recurrent rates after treatment were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (both<0.01) and the value in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (<0.01). The recurrent interval in the observation group was longer than that in the control group[(441.56±65.37) d vs (382.78±59.33) d,<0.01].</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Acupuncture achieves the significant therapeutic effects on RRMS at the remission stage. This therapy relieves the symptoms of neural functional deficits, delays the time of occurrence and reduces the annual recurrent rate.</p>

A survey on the distribution of TCM constitution among the patients with stroke in Beijing / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To find out the distribution of TCM constitution on the patients with stroke in Beijing. Method The TCM Constitution Questionnaire was used to evaluate 489 patients with stroke in three hospitals in Beijing. Results The qi-deficiency constitution (140 patients, 28.63%), yin-deficiency constitution (95 patients, 19.43%), blood-stasis constitution(89 patients, 18.20%) and phlegm-heat constitution (73 patients, 14.93%) were the most common constitution, while qi-depression constitution (22 patients, 4.50%) and yang-deficiency constitution (20 patients, 4.09%) were the less common. The top three constitution in middle aged wereqi-deficiency (33 patients, 27.27%), phlegm-heat (23 patients, 19.01%) and blood stasis (22 patients, 18.18%). The top three constitution in the aged groupwere qi-deficiency (107 patients, 29.08%), yin-deficiency (76 patients, 20.65%) and blood-stasis (67 patients, 18.21%). Conclusions Stroke is closely related with imbalance of TCM constitution. The prevention and treatment of stroke patients with different ages should vary according to the constitutions.

Effect of Early Acupuncture at Huatuo Jiajipoints on Striatalβ-endorphin and Dynorphin Levels in MCAO Rats / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of early acupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points on striatalβ-endorphin and dynorphin levels in rats with post-stroke limb spasm.Methods Seventy SD rats were randomized into group A (normal) of 9 rats and group B (sham operation) of 10 rats. After a model of post-stroke limb spasm was made in the remaining rats, they were randomized into groups C (model), D (acupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points) and E (baclofen). Group D received acupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points and group E, an oral gavage of baclofen tablets. After seven days of treatment, striatalβ-endorphin and dynorphin levels were neasured by radioimmunoassay.Resultsβ-endorphin levels increased significantly in groups C, D and E compared with groups A and B (P0.05). Dynorphin levels increased significantly in groups C, D and E compared with groups A and B (P0.05).Conclusions Acupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points can increase striatalβ-endorphin levels but not change striatal dynorphin levels, which conforms to the relationship between enkephalin and spasm, and improve the animal’s spasticity.

Progression of the mechanism study on experimental migraine treated with acupuncture in rat model / 中国针灸

In the paper, by taking acupuncture and migraine as the key words to retrieve CNKI and PubMed database, the literature analysis was done on the mechanism study on experimental migraine treated with acupuncture in rat model. The results showed that acupuncture mechanism study focused on the regulation and control of the relevant neurotransmitters/neuromodulators of migraine, such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), serotonin (5-HT), nitric oxide (NO), etc. Moreover, in the paper, the review had been done on the neurotransmitters/neuromodulators involved in the study.

Primary varicose veins treated with HE's fire needle therapy: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy on primary varicose veins treated with He's fire needle therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty patients of primary varicose veins were randomized into an observation group (25 cases) and a control group (25 cases). In the observation group, He's fire needle therapy was applied for 8 weeks. The fire needling was done on the sites of varicose veins till the bleeding stopped automatically. Additionally, acupuncture with filiform needle was applied to Heyang (BL 55), Chengjin (BL 56), Chengshan (BL 57) and Kunlun (BL 60) on the affected side. In the control group, no intervention was given. The follow-up visit was conducted regularly and since the 8th week, the same treatment as the observation group was provided in the control group. The revised venous clinical severity score (RVCSS) was used for the evaluation of the primary outcomes. The methods for the evaluation of the secondary efficacy outcomes included the venous insufficiency epidemiologic and economic study of quality of life questionnaire scale (VEINES-QOL/sym questionnaire), the venous insufficiency epidemiologic and economic study of symptom score (VEINES-Sym score), the venous insufficiency epidemiologic and economic study of quality of life scale (VEINES-QOL score) and the Homburg varicose vein severity score (HVVSS). The evaluation was conducted at the baseline, at the end of the 4th week and the 8th week separately. The follow-up evaluation was done at the end of the 16th week in the observation group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During the study, 5 cases were dropped out, accounting for 10%. RVCSS score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks separately (both P < 0.05). VEINES-QOL score and HVVSS score in the observation group were higher than those in the control group at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks separately (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). VEINES-Sym score in the observation group was increased as compared with that of the control group at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks, but the difference was significant at the end of the 8th week (P < 0.01). HVVSS score at the end of the 8th and 16th weeks was reduced as compared with that at the end of the 4th week in the observation group (both P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HE's fire needle therapy is effective on primary varicose veins. It significantly reduces the severity of disease, the severity of symptoms and the attack frequency of symptoms so that the quality of life is improved in the patients. Additionally, the good long-term efficacy is maintained in 8 weeks after treatment. When the duration of treatment is increased from 4 weeks to 8 weeks, HE's fire needle therapy remarkably improves the efficacy for reducing the symptom severity.</p>

Serving for the longevity and health of people, being the teacher with righteousness and charity: professor XIA Shouren, the acupuncture master in modern times / 中国针灸

Professor XIA Shouren is a famous acupuncture master in China and has devoted his life to clinical practice, teaching and scientific study of TCM. In his 50 years of medical career, he has studied Chinese and western medicine, innovated ancient masters' experiences, adhered to the theory of "less but highly-effective needling", specified at genjie points and deeply explored the specificity of acupoints. Additionally, the acupuncture stfudy has been firstly conducted in the diagnosis and treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in China and his own unique academic thought has been formed. Professor XIA Shouren makes the contribution to the theory, practice and inheritance of acupuncture and moxibustion.

Cumulative Analgesic Effect of Electroacupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP6), Xuanzhong (GB39) and Non-acupoint for Primary Dysmenorrhea：A Comparative Study / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To compare the cumulative analgesic effects of electroacupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP6), Xuanzhong (GB39) and non-acupoint in treating primary dysmenorrhea. Method By adopting a multi-centered randomized controlled study method, 501 patients recruited from Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Capital Medical University, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huguosi Hospital of Chinese Medicine of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and the Outpatient of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were randomized into a Sanyinjiao group, a Xuanzhong group, and a non-acupoint group, 167 subjects in each group. The electroacupuncture intervention was applied when dysmenorrhea flared up and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ≥40 mm, with frequency at 2/100 Hz and intensity during patient’s endurance, 30 min each time, once a day, and for successive 3 d. Before the first treatment, 30 min after the first treatment, and respectively prior to the second and third treatment, VAS was used to measure the pain intensity. Meanwhile, the Retrospective Symptom Scale (RSS-COX 2) was investigated before the first treatment, right after the removal of needles for the first treatment, before the second and third treatment. Result The decrease of VAS in Sanyinjiao group was more significant than that in Xuanzhong group and non-acupoint group (MD=﹣2.92 mm, P=0.028; MD=﹣3.47 mm, P=0.009), while there was no significant difference between Xuanzhong group and non-acupoint group (MD=﹣0.56 mm, P=0.674); there were no significant differences in comparing the RSS-COX2 total score among the three groups (P=0.086). Conclusion Sanyinjiao (SP6) can produce a more significant cumulative analgesic effect for primary dysmenorrhea patient than Xuanzhong and non-acupoint, and the effects of Xuanzhong and non-acupoit are equivalent.

Therapeutic Observation of Micro-invasive Point-toward-point Thread-embedding for Post-stroke Shoulder-hand Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of micro-invasive point-through-point thread-embedding in treating acute stage of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome. Method Sixty patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 in each group. Patients in the treatment group were intervened by micro-invasive point-through-point thread-embedding in addition to rehabilitation training, while patients in the control group were by rehabilitation training alone. Before treatment and after 4-week treatments, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to estimate shoulder pain, modified Barthel Index (MBI) to detect the activities of daily life, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale to measure the motor function of upper limb. Result Before treatment, there were no significant differences in comparing the involved indexes between the two groups (P>0.05), and the indexes were significantly improved after intervention in both groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Micro-invasive point-through-point thread-embedding can reduce pain intensity, improve the activities of daily life and motor function of upper limb of patients in acute stage of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome.

Research Progress in Acupuncture in Treating Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting / 中国中医药信息杂志

This article summarized clinical studies and mechanism research literature on acupuncture in treating chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting in the latest 20 years. It found that the domestic and foreign researches tend to regard acupuncture as an effective method for the treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, which still requires further high-level clinical researches to verify. Acupuncture may prevent and treat chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting through multiple mechanisms, and studies on these mechanisms show extensive research prospect.

Animal models of migraine / 国际脑血管病杂志

Migraine is the most common type of primary headache.The ideal animal models of migraine should be able to well replicate the key pathophysiological mechanism of migraine.According to the different pathogeneses,this article reviews the advances in research on the animal models of migraine from the aspect of making methods,determination criterion,advantages and disadvantages,and the scope of application,

Therapeutic Effect Observation on Treatment of Vestibular Central Balance Disturbance with Brain-Regulating Electroacupuncture / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on vestibular central balance disturbance. Methods: Forty-six patients with vestibular central balance disturbance were randomly divided into a treatment group of 23 cases and a control group of 23 cases. After 4 weeks 'treatment, the effects were evaluated by Berg balance scale, Visual analog scale and a staticdynamic balance test. Results: The effective rate was 87.0% in the treatment group and 65.2% in the control group. There was a significant difference (P＜ 0.05). After treatment, Berg balance scale score, eye opening with two feet standing time and eye closure with two feet standing time were better in the treatment group than in the control group after treatment (P＜ 0.05). Conclusion: This therapy is effective for vestibular central balance disturbance.