Effect of different courses of heat-sensitive moxibustion on the morphology of surrounding connective tissue and spinal cord in a rat model of osteoporosis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: It has been proved in clinical practice and basic research that acupuncture and moxibustion at Mingmen acupoint is an effective treatment for primary osteoporosis. As a new therapeutic method, heat-sensitive moxibustion has achieved good results in clinical practice, but the research on its mechanism is still in the blank stage. OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutic mechanism of heat-sensitive moxibustion from the perspective of connective tissue and nervous system, and to explore the optimal therapeutic time of heat-sensitive moxibustion in a certain time range. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into five groups: normal group, model group, 4-, 7-, and 14-day heat-sensitive moxibustion groups. Osteoporosis models were prepared by ovariectomy and treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion at different times. After treatment, the superficial subcutaneous fascia 0.5-1.5 cm around the Mingmen acupoint and the spinal cord were stained with fluorescence and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The concentrations of phosphorus ion, calcium ions and alkaline phosphatase in rat serum were detected before and after 14 days of heat-sensitive sensitive moxibustion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Morphological changes of intrafascial fibers by fluorescence staining: In the normal and model groups, collagen fibers were interlaced and arranged in a network. In the 4-day heat-sensitive moxibustion group, the arrangement of collagen fibers showed no changes. After 14 days of intervention the collagen fibers were stretched and pulled significantly under the effect of heat-sensitive moxibustion, and showed a centripetal arrangement toward the Mingmen acupoint. (2) Hematoxylin-eosin staining results of the spinal cord: After 4 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, the rat spinal cord had no obvious change compared with the model group. After 7 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, anterior cornual neurons increased in number and size, and the number of glial cells in the spinal dorsal horn increased. After 14 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, anterior horn neurons increased significantly in number and in size, with large and round nuclei, obvious nucleoli, and enlarged and regularly arranged nerve fibers; glial cells in the posterior horn increased significantly in number and arranged densely. (3) Serum concentration determination: After 14 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, the concentrations of phosphorus ions and alkaline phosphatase in rat serum increased significantly (P < 0.01), and the concentration of calcium ions decreased significantly (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that heat-sensitive moxibustion can ameliorate the symptoms of osteoporosis through the morphological changes of connective tissue and nerve-body fluid regulation. Heat-sensitive moxibustion for 14 days can achieve ideal results.