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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effects of different acupuncture methods on urine metabolites in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rabbits, and to explore the specificity mechanism of heat-reinforcing acupuncture for RA.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 40 clean purple-blue rabbits were randomly allocated to a normal group, a model group, a mild reinforcing-reducing needling (MRRN) group, a twirling-reinforcing needling (TRN) group and a heat-reinforcing needling (HRN) group, 8 rabbits in each one. Except the normal group, the rabbits in the remaining groups were treated with ovalbumin and freezing to establish RA model. The rabbits in the MRRN group, TRN group and HRN group were treated with MRRN, TRN and HRN at "Zusanli" (ST 36), respectively, 30 min per treatment, once a day for seven days. After treatment, 24-h urine was collected. The rabbits were sacrificed to collect synovial tissues of knee to perform morphology observation; the liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q/TOF-MS) was applied to measure urine metabolites. All the data were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal group, the leucine-related metabolites, as main urine metabolites, were decreased in the model group (<0.05), while the purine-related metabolites and tryptophane-related metabolites were increased (<0.05). Compared with the model group, the leucine-related metabolites, as main urine metabolites, were increased in the three needling groups after treatment (<0.05), while the tryptophan-related metabolites andpurine-related metabolites were decreased (<0.05), moreover, the leucine-related metabolites in the HRN group were obviously higher than those in the MRRN group and TRN gruop (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MRRN, TRN and HRN can regulate the pathway of leucine metabolism (energy metabolism), purine metabolism (oxidative damage) and tryptophane metabolism (immune regulation) for RA, The specificity of HRN for RA focuses on regulation of leucine metabolism (energy metabolism).</p>
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore heat-reinforcing needling for the metabolite profiling changes in serum of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rabbits with liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) technique, and to investigate its mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty clean purple blue rabbits were randomized into a normal group, a model group, a reinforcing-reducing needling (RRN) group, a twirling-reinforcing needling (TRN) group, and a heat-reinforcing needling (HRN) group, 8 cases in each group. RA rabbits with cold syndrome were made with ovalbumin and freezing except those in the normal group. No treatment was given in the normal and model groups. The corresponding manipulations for 7 days were applied at "Zusanli" (ST 36) in the three acupuncture groups, 30 min a time, once a day. After intervention the pain threshold and the local skin temperature of each group were observed. Fresh serum from heart was collected for metabonomics detection. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were adopted. Several metabolites were screened by the variable importance in the projection values (VIP>1) andvalue (<0.05).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pain threshold and the local skin temperature in the model group were lower than those in the normal group (both<0.05). The pain threshold and the local skin temperature in the three acupuncture groups were higher than those in the model group after intervention (all<0.05), which were better in the HRN group than those in the RRN and TRN groups (all<0.05). The serum metabolites of carnitine, LysoPC (14∶0), LysoPC (18∶3), LysoPE (0∶0/20∶5), LysoPE (0∶0/22∶1), decylic acid, stearic acid and lactic acid in the model group increased compared with those in the normal group, and other metabolites decreased, including leucine, valine, glutamine, pyroglutamic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, galactose, mannose. Those metabolites were correlated fatty acid, amino acid, citric acid cycle, and glucose metabolism. The metabolites above-mentioned in the three acupuncture groups were regulated in various degrees (all<0.05). Lactic acid decreased and succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, galactose, mannose increased more obviously in the HRN group than those in the RRN and TRN groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The specificity of heat-reinforcing needling for RA presents the regulation for citric acid cycle and glucose metabolism.</p>
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Objective To measure the endogenous metabolites in synovial tissues of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rabbits with cold syndrome;To investigate the specificity mechanisms of heat-reinforcing needling for RA. Methods A total of forty healthy purple blue rabbits were randomly allocated to normal group, model group, reinforcing-reducing needling group (RRN), twirling-reinforcing needling group (TRN) and heat-reinforcing needling group (HRN) 8 rabbits in each group. Arthritis rabbits cold model was made with ovalbumin and freezing. Except for normal groupand model group, RRN was given acupuncture of reinforcing-reducing needling at Zusanli (ST36), TRN was given acupuncture of twirling-reinforcing needling at Zusanli (ST36), HRN was administrated acupuncture of heat-reinforcing needling at Zusanli (ST36), once a day and retaining 30 min, a total of seven days. Fresh synovial tissues of rabbits knee joints were extracted after the intervention, then GC-Q/TOF-MS technology were employed to evaluate metabolic profiles. Results The synovial tissues metabolites of TCA cycle, carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism in model group mainly increased compared with normal group (P<0.05); The synovial tissues metabolites of various kinds above-mentioned decreased compared with model group in all intervention of acupuncture group (P<0.05), and the metabolites of TCA cycle and carbohydrate metabolism in HRN were obviously less than that of RRN and TRN (P<0.05). Conclusion The specificity of heat-reinforcing needling for RA manifests in regulation of TCA cycle and carbohydrate metabolism.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the efficacy differences between heat-reinforcing needling and conventional treatment of western medicine on Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) with cold-dampness blocking collaterals syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty KBD patients of cold-dampness blocking collaterals syndrome were randomly assigned into a heat-reinforcing needling group and a western medication group, 30 cases in each one. In the heat-reinforcing needling group, the heat-reinforcing needling was applied at local painful sites, combined with the acupoints based on the syndrome differentiation and the distal acupoints on the affected meridians. Acupuncture was given 30 min per time, once a day, the treatment of 5 days made 1 session; there was an interval of 2 days between two sessions. In the western medication group, sodium selenite tablets were prescribed for oral administration after meals, 2 tablets each time, once a day; ibuprofen sustained release capsules were prescribed for oral administration, 1 capsule each time, twice a day; vitamin C tablets were prescribed for oral administration, 2 tablets each time, three times a day. Four-week treatment was given in the two groups. The Western Ontaraio and Mcmaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) was adopted to assess the involved joints; the safety was assessed in the process of treatment; the efficacy was analyzed, and the follow-up visit was conducted 3 months and 6 months after treatment, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 4-week treatment, the total effective rate was 96.7%(29/30) in the western medication group, which was superior to 90.0% (27/30) in the heat-reinforcing needling group (<0.05). However, the safety in the heat-reinforcing needling group was superior to that in the western medication group (<0.05). The improvements of joint function in 3-month and 6-month follow-up visits in heat-reinforcing needling group were superior to those in western medication group (both<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The heat-reinforcing needling for KBD is safe and effective with less adverse reactions. The short-term effect of heat-reinforcing needling isinferior to western medication, but the long-term efficacy is remarkably superior to western medication.</p>