[Effect of medicated thread moxibustion of Chinese Zhuang Minority medicine on colonic inflammatory impairment and Th17/IL-17F signaling in rats with ulcerative colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of medicated thread moxibustion of Zhuang Minority medicine on helper T cell 17 (Th17)/ Interleukin-17F(IL-17F) signaling pathway in ulcerative colitis (UC) rats, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of UC. METHODS: Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, model, medication and medicated thread moxibustion (MTM) groups, with 10 rats in each group. The UC model was induced by free drinking of 4% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 10 d. After successful modeling, rats of the medication group were treated by gavage of salazosulfapyridine (SASP). Medicated thread moxibustion was applied to unilateral "Tianshu" (ST25) and "Qihai" (CV6) alternatively for rats of the MTM group, once daily for 14 d. The body mass, stool shape, and fecal occult test were recorded and conducted daily to perform disease activity index (DAI) score. H．E. staining was used to display pathological changes of the colon tissue. The Th17 cells and IL-17F and retinoic acid related orphan receptor γ t (ROR-γt) in the colon tissue were detected by flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively, and the expression levels of RORγt and IL-17F mRNA in colon tissue were detected by quantitive real-time PCR. RESULTS: After modeling, the DAI score, colonic Th17 percentage, RORγt and IL-17F contents, and RORγt and IL-17F mRNA expression were significantly increased in the model group in contrast to the normal control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Following the intervention, all the aforementioned indexes were reversed in both medication and MTM groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the medication and MTM groups in the levels of the above mentioned indexes (P>0.05, except RORγt and IL-17F mRNA expression). H．E. staining showed disappearance of goblet cells, infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells, exfoliation of the epithelial tissue and edema of colonic mucosal in rats of the model group, which was relatively milder in both medication and MTM groups. CONCLUSION: Medicated thread moxibustion of Zhuang Minority medicine can reduce the inflammatory damage of colon tissue in UC rats, which is associated with its effects in suppressing the expression of RORγt, production of Th17 cells, and secretion of pro-inflammatory factor IL-17F in colon tissue.

[Observation on clinical effect of ZHUANG medicine mediated thread moxibustion combined with medication for patients with ulcerative colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect and safety of Sulfasalazine (SASP) combined with ZHUANG medicine mediated thread moxibustion (ZMMTM) for patients with mild and moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: A total of 46 UC patients were randomly and equally divided into moxibustion group (SASP combined with ZMMTM) and SASP medication group. Patients of both groups were treated by oral administration of SASP (1 g, tid) for six weeks. For patients of the moxibustion group, ZMMTM was applied to points Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), and Dachangshu (BL 25), once a day, for 20 times. The therapeutic effect was assessed according to Schroeder and colleagues' method (1987), scores of Baron' s endoscope scale (0 - 9 scoring standards, 1964), 0 - 3 scoring standards of activity indexes (including 4 items of diarrhea, hemorrhage, mucosal appearance and doctors' evaluation), respectively. RESULTS: Of the two 32 UC patients in the medication and moxibustion groups, 6 and 9 had a complete remission in their symptoms, 6 and 7 experienced a remarkable improvement, 5 and 6 were effective, and 6 and 1 was invalid, with the effective rates being 73.91% and 95.65%, respectively. Following the treatment, both endoscopic score and activity index in the moxibustion group were significantly lower than those of the medication group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ZMMTM combined with medication is significantly superior to simple medication in relieving clinical symptoms of mild and moderate UC patients.

Meta-analysis of the relationship between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and end-stage renal disease in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

AIMS: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the major cause for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and the pathogenesis for DN developing into ESRD is not clear at present. Results from published studies on the relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism and ESRD risk in DN patients are still conflicting. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and ESRD risk in DN patients. METHODS: Association studies were identified from the databases of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library on 1 October 2011, and eligible investigations were identified and synthesized using the meta-analysis method. Results were expressed using odds ratios (OR) for dichotomous data and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were also calculated. RESULTS: Twelve studies reporting the relation between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and ESRD risk in DN patients were identified. In overall populations, there was a notable association between D allele or DD genotype and ESRD susceptibility (D: OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.11-1.56, P = 0.002; DD: OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.25-2.21, P = 0.0004). In the sub-group analysis according to ethnicity, D allele or DD genotype was associated with ESRD risk in Asians. In Caucasians, the association of DD genotype with ESRD risk was observed, but the D allele was not. Furthermore, ACE I/D gene polymorphism was associated with ESRD risk in patients with DN due to diabetes mellitus type 2, but the association was not found for patients with DN due to diabetes mellitus type-1. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that D allele or DD homozygous is associated with the ESRD susceptibility in DN patients. However, more investigations are required to further this association.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of preoperational catgut implantation at acupoint for hemorrhoid operation-induced pain in patients].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the preemptive analgesia effect of catgut implantation in Chengshan (BL 57) area on hemorrhoid operation-induced pain and the security, so as to find a new method for easing post-operative pain of hemorrhoid. METHODS: A total of 120 cases of mixed hemorrhoids patients were randomly divided into the catgut implantation group and medication group (n=60). In implantation group, a piece of catgut was embedded into bilateral BL 57 acupoint area half an hour before surgery. Patients of the medication group were asked to orally take Tramadol Hydrochloride Capsules (100 mg) after the surgery. The pain score of mixed hemorrhoids patients was evaluated 5, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after operation by using visual analogue scales (VAS). The complications, analgesics use and adverse reactions were recorded simultaneously. RESULTS: Comparison between two groups showed that the VAS scores of the catgut implantation group at 5, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after operation were significantly lower than those of the medication group (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications of uroschesis and hydroncus, adverse reactions of nausea, vomiting and vertigo, and the number of patients using Sauteralgyl were significantly lower in the catgut implantation group than in the medication group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Catgut implantation at BL 57 can effectively relieve the postoperative pain, reduce postoperative adverse reactions and complications in mixed hemorrhoids patients.

[Effect of electroacupuncture at Chengshan (BL 57) on postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoids].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the effect of electroacupuncture at Chengshan (BL 57) on postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoids. METHODS: One hundred and twenty cases with postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoids were divided into an electroacupuncture group (60 cases) and a medication group (60 cases) randomly. The disperse-dense wave in frequency of 2Hz/100Hz at Chengshan (BL 57) were used in the electroacupuncture group. Its first treatment was in 30 min after the operation, and then it was given once a day after hip bath in the morning. 2 tablets of Naproxen Sunstained Release Capsule were taken in 30 min after operation in the medication group, and then it was taken 2 tablets a day before dressing change. After 4 times of treatment, evaluate the changing condition of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at 5 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after operation. RESULTS: The VAS at 5 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after operation in the electroacupuncture group (6.78 +/- 2.12, 5.56 +/- 1.87, 4.34 +/- 2.23 and 3.15 +/- 2.11) were all lower than those in the medication group (7.56 +/- 2.01, 6.23 +/- 1.15, 5.57 +/- 2.21 and 4.34 +/- 2.12), and the difference was statistically significant (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture at Chengshan (BL 57) can reduce the postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoids.