RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To dynamically observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on repair of gastric mucosal lesion in rats with gastric ulcer, and to explore the time-effect relationship and molecular mechanism of EA for gastric ulcer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 72 SD rats were randomly assigned to a normal group, a model group, a acupoint group and a sham acupoint group, and each group were further divided into a 1-day subgroup, a 4-day subgroup and a 7-day subgroup, 6 rats in each subgroup. The rat model of gastric ulcer was established by using intragastric administration of ethyl alcohol. The rats in the acupoint group were treated with EA at"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the rats in the sham acupoint group were treated with EA at points 5 mm next to"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the EA was given 30 min per treatment, once a day. The rats in the normal group and model group were treated with immobilization for 30 min per day, and no EA was given. PR-PCR method was applied to test the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and substance P (SP); Western blot method was applied to test the expression of neurotensin (NT).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 1-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was higher than that in the normal group (<0.01), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was decreased (<0.01, <0.05); compared with the model group and sham acupoint group, the ulcer index was decreased in the acupoint group (both <0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was up-regulated (all <0.05) while that of NT was up-regulated (both <0.01). After 4-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was reduced but still higher than that in the normal group (<0.05), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was up-regulated and higher than that in the normal group (all <0.01); the ulcer index in the acupoint group was similar to that in the normal group (>0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was lower than that in the model group (<0.01, <0.05), and the expression of NT was not significantly different from that in the model group (>0.05). After 7-day treatment, the differences of indexes above were not significant among the four groups (all >0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA at acupoints of stomach meridian has two-way regulation on PCNA and SP and improve the expression of NT in different pathological state of gastric ulcer, which could further improve the repair of gastric ulcer.</p>
RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy difference among elongated needle, filiform needle and medication for post-stroke indigestion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty cases of post-stroke indigestion were randomly assigned into an elongated needle group, a filiform needle group and a medication group, 20 cases in each one. Acupuncture of restoring consciousness and inducing resuscitation and conventional medical treatment were applied in the three groups. 125 mm elongated needles were perpendicularly inserted at Zhongwan (CV 12), Liangmen (ST 21) and Tianshu (ST 25) in the elongated needle group; 20 to 30 mm perpendicular filiform at the same points in the filiform needle group. All the treatment was given for 4 weeks, 6 times a week, 1 time a day. Domperidone was prescribed orally in the medication group for 4 weeks, 3 times a day and once 10 mg. The indexes were dyspepsia TCM symptom score, Liz dyspepsia questionnaire (LDQ), Nepean Dyspepsia Index of quality of life (NDLQI), Safety Data Sheet (SDS) self rating scale and side effect scale (TESS). The effects were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The scores of TCM symptom, LDQ, SDS scores in the three groups decreased and NDLQI increased after 7-day, 14-day, and 28-day treatment as compared with those before treatment (<0.05,<0.01). The TCM symptom score and LDQ score in the elongated needle group after 28-day treatment were lower than those in the filiform needle and medication groups (<0.05,<0.01). The SDS score in the medication group was lower than that in the elongated needle and filiform needle group (both<0.05). There were no significant statistical difference for NDLQI score in the three groups (>0.05). The total effective rate was 90% (18/20) in the elongated needle group; those in the filiform needle group and medication group were 70% (14/20) and 75% (15/20) respectively, indicating statistical significance (<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture with elongated needle can obviously improve symptoms in the patients with post-stroke indigestion, which is better than filiform needle and medication.</p>