[Comparative study on curative effects of stroke treated with acupuncture by NIRS].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the intracephalic imaging differences of stroke treated with combined therapy of scalp and body acupuncture and body acupuncture only, in order to apply the image basis for the differences of clinical curative effects. METHODS: Twenty cases of stroke were randomized into a body acupuncture group (group A) and a scalp and body acupuncture group (group B), ten cases in each group respectively. In group A, body acupuncture was applied simply, and different acupoints were selected according to the symptoms: Shousanli (LI 10), Jianliao (TE 14), Huantiao (GB 30) and Jiaji (EX-B 2) etc. were selected for hemiplegia, Fengchi (GB 20), Xiaguan (ST 7) and Quanliao (SI 18) etc. were for facial paralysis, Fengfu (GV 16) and Lianquan (CV 23) etc. were for aphasia. In group B, combined therapy were applied, the body acupoints selection was same as above; for scalp acupoints, corresponding motor area, sensory area and foot motor sensory area were selected. Instant changes of local cerebral blood flow before and after treatment were examined and evaluated by NIRS and the curative effects of both groups were evaluated. RESULTS: The total therapeutic effective rate was 90.0% (9/10) and the basically cured rate was 30.0% (3/10) in group A; and 100.0% (10/10) and 50.0% (5/10) respectively in group B, indicating that the clinical curative effect in group B was superior to that in group A at 20, 30 min of acupuncture treatment (P < 0.05). Both imaging results showed that blood flows of prefrontal cortex in both groups were increased with varying degrees after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the cerebral blood flow in group B was much more improved than that in group A at 20, 30 min of acupuncture treatment (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can significantly increase blood flow and oxygen saturation in brain cortex, and the effect with combined therapy of scalp and body acupuncture is superior to that with body acupuncture.

[Randomized controlled clinical trials for acupuncture treatment of aura-absence migraine patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy for aura-absence migraine. METHODS: A total of 60 aura-absence migraine outpatients who signed an informed consent participated in the present study. They were randomized into medication group and acupuncture group (n = 30/group) according to a randomized number table and their visiting sequence. Patients of acupuncture group were treated by acupuncture of Ashi-point, Baihui (GV 20), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Shuaigu (GB 8), Fengchi (GB 20), Benshen (GB 13) and Lieque (LU 7). The acupuncture needles were retained for 30 min after "Deqi", and the treatment was conducted once daily, 6 times every week and continuously for 4 weeks. Patients of the medication group were treated with oral administration of Flunarizine (10 mg/time, once every night) for 4 weeks. The SF-36 Quality-of-Life Instrument (SF-36) and integral scores of headache were measured before and after the treatment. RESULTS: In comparison with the pre-treatment, scores of physical functioning (PF), role-physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), social functioning (SF), role-emotional (RE), vitality (VT), mental-health (MH) and general health (GH) of SF-36 in both medication and acupuncture groups were increased significantly (P < 0.05), and those of PF, RP and BP of the acupuncture group were significantly higher than the scores of the medication group (P < 0.05). The integral scores of headache were decreased significantly in both medication group and acupuncture group (P < 0.05), and those of the acupuncture group were remarkably lower than the scores of the medication group after the treatment (P < 0.05). Of the two 30 migraine patients in the medication and acupuncture groups, 1 (3.33%) and 9 (30.00%) were cured, 1 (3.33%) and 2 (6.67%) had a marked improvement in their symptoms, 9 (30.00%) and 8 (26.67%) were effective, 19 (63. 33%) and 11 (36.67%) were ineffective, with the total effective rates being 36.67% and 63.33%, respectively. The cure rate and the total effective rate of the acupuncture group were significantly higher than those of the medication group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture therapy can raise the migraineurs' life quality, lessen the times and severity of headache attack, and its therapeutic effect is superior to that of medication.

[Randomized controlled trials for treatment of 30 cases of ordinary psoriasis by acupuncture and moxibustion].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of acu-moxibustion for ordinary psoriasis, so as to find a better curative method for it. METHODS: A total of 60 cases of psoriasis were equally randomized into medication group[(8. 67 - 6. 53) months in duration of disease, (39. 25+/- 10. 21) years in age] and acu-moxibustion group [(9. 16 7. 37) months in duration of disease, and (37. 38 +/- 11. 36) years in age] according to a random number table. For patients of acu-moxibustion group, main acupoints used were Feishu (BL13), Geshu (BL17), Ganshu (BL18), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23), combined with other acupoints [Hegu (LI 4), Weizhong (BL 40), etc. ] according to the affected part of the body. Moxibustion was applied to Shenshu (BL 23) and the injured skin area for about 3 min every time. Acu-moxibustion treatment was given once every other day continuously for 12 weeks. Patients of the medication group were treated with oral administration of Acitretin capsules (20 mg/d, for 12 weeks). The therapeutic effect was evaluated by using psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) scoring method. Results After the treatment, the integrative scores of PASI in both medication and acu-moxibustion groups decreased significantly (P<0. 01), and that of the acu-moxibustion group was significantly lower than that of the medication group (P<0. 05). Of the both 30 psoriasis patients in the medication and acu-moxibustion groups, 1 (3. 33%) and 4 (13. 33%) were cured basically, 15 (50. 00%) and 17 (56. 67%) were improved significantly, 12 (40. 00%) and 6 (20. 00%) were effective, and 2 (6. 67%) and 3 (10. 00%) invalid, with the effective rates being 93. 33% and 90. 00%, respectively. The cured plus markedly effective rate of the acu-moxibustion group was significantly higher than that of the medication group (P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: Acu-moxibustion therapy is effective in the treatment of psoriasis and is remarkably superior to that of medication.

[Effects of electric-moxibustion on brain mantle accessed with near-infrared imaging].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) or Shenque (CV 8) on the cerebral blood flow. METHODS: Twenty healthy volunteer were treated by electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) or Shenque (CV 8) with multi-functional electric-moxibustion instrument. The changes of the forehead cortex blood flow during moxibustion were detected by dynamic continuous spectrum near-infrared imaging. RESULTS: There were significant differences as the forehead cortex blood flow after electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) for 20 and 30 minutes compared with their initial data (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and as the forehead cortex blood flow after electric-moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) for 10, 20 and 30 minutes compared with their initial data (P<0. 05, P<0. 01). CONCLUSION: Electric-moxibustion at both Baihui (GV 20) and Shenque (CV 8) can improve the volume of brain cortex blood flow and electric-moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) has rapid effect.

[Study on original meaning and application of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru"].

To probe into the original meaning and clinical application of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" in Miraculous Pivot * Genjie, based on Huangdi's Internal Classic and other opinions of annotation experts of successive dynasties, deeply analyze and study. The results indicate that two characteristics of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru": similar to Maikou (the position to feel pulse in ancient Chinese medical classics); closely related to blood collaterals. It is suggested that "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" can be used to diagnose disorder of meridians, and to treat the excess syndrome of meridians and collaterals with reducing method, including bleeding method.

[Effect of acupotomy lysis on SP and CCK-8 contents in hypothalamus and spinal cord in rats with transverse process syndrome of the third lumbar vertebra].

OBJECTIVE: To observe changes of SP and CCK-8 contents in the hypothalamus and spinal cord after performing acupotomy lysis so as to study its central analgesic effect in rats with transverse-process syndrome of the third lumbar vertebra. METHODS: Twenty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, acupotomy lysis group and electroacupuncture (EA) group, with 7 cases in each one. The model of the third lumbar vertebra transverse process syndrome was established by inserting a piece of gelatin sponge into the deep subfascial part of the 3rd lumbar transverse process. Acupotomy lysis was conducted 1 time/week for 2 weeks. EA (2/100 Hz, 1-2 mA) was applied to the left "Shenshu" (BL 23)-"Yaoyangguan"(GV 3) for 20 min/time, 3 times/week and for 2 weeks. SP and CCK-8 contents in the hypothalamus and spinal cord were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: In model group, SP and CCK-8 contents in the hypothalamus and spinal cord were increased significantly in comparison with normal control group (P < 0.01). Compared with model group, both SP and CCK-8 contents in hypothalamus and SP content in spinal cord in acupotomy lysis and EA groups were apparently lower (P < 0.01, 0.05). CCK-8 content in spinal cord in cupotomy lysis group was lower markedly than that of model group (P < 0.01), while no significant difference was found between model group and EA group in CCK-8 level in spinal cord (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupotomy lysis can downregulate SP and CCK-8 contents in hypothalamus and spinal cord, which may contribute to its effect in relieving pain from transverse process syndrome of the third lumbar vertebra.

[Diuretic effect of injecting furosemide into low hydraulic resistance point Shuifen along the conception meridian in pigs with acute edema].

OBJECTIVE: To observe whether injection of medicine into low hydraulic resistance point along meridian brings about higher medicinal effect and to explore the efficacy of the theory that meridians are made up of channels featuring low hydraulic resistance by observing the diuretic effect of injecting furosemide or saline into the low hydraulic resistance point Shuifen (CV 9), vein and Zusanli (St 36) respectively. METHODS: Acute edema was induced in pigs by rapid intravenous injection of 2 000 ml normal saline. The pigs were divided into four groups: Shuifen (CV 9) injection of half dose furosemide group (SFF group), intravenous injection of full dose furosemide group (VF group), Zusanli (St 36) injection of full dose furosemide group (ZSLF group), and Shuifen (CV 9) injection of half dose normal saline group (SFS group). The accumulated urine quantity and the urine quantity generated in every 15-minute period were measured in each group respectively, every 15 minutes after injection, and the measurement lasted for two hours at one experiment. Each group involved eight times of experiments with one pig used for one experiment, which means the whole observation involved 32 times of experiments. RESULTS: The accumulated urine quantities observed in both SFF group and VF group were higher than those in the ZSLF group and the SFS group all through the measurement, showing significant differences during the period from the 15th minute to the 45th minute (P<0.05). But no significant difference was observed between the SFF group and the VF group during the whole 2-hour measurement (P>0.05). Analysis of urine quantity generated in every 15-minute period showed that diuretic effect climaxed during the 15th minute to the 30th minute in both SFF group and VF group. By contrast, ZSLF group reached diuresis climax during the 45th minute to 60th minute and no diuresis climax was observed in the SFS group all through the measurement. CONCLUSION: Injection of medicine into low hydraulic resistance point along meridian generates faster and more powerful medicinal potency, and this is likely to be applied to clinical practice. The theory that meridians are channels featuring low hydraulic resistance is important to the elucidation of meridians.

[Clinical observation on needle-sticking method for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis of wind-cold-damp retention type].

OBJECTIVE: To observe clinical therapeutic effect of needle-sticking method on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of wind-cold-damp retention type. METHODS: Fifty cases of such disease were divided into 2 groups in order of visiting. The treatment group (n = 30) were treated with needle-sticking method, and the control group (n = 20) with routine filiform needle therapy for 2 therapeutic courses. Total cumulative scores, numbers of both the pressure-pain joint and the swollen-distention joint, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C reaction protein (CRP) before and after treatment were investigated. RESULTS: Both the needle-sticking method and the filiform needle therapy had an apparent therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type, and the therapeutic effect for the clinical indexes in the treatment group was better than the control group, with a very significant difference in improvement of RF, the number of pressure-pain joints and the total cumulative scores as the treatment group compared with the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Needle-sticking method has definite therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type with obvious superiority.