[Meaning of "Nishun" (contradiction and consistency) during pulse taking for acupuncture treatment in ancient literature of traditional Chinese medicine].

Through collecting the relative records about "Nishun" (contradiction and consistency between pulse conditions and severity of illness) in pulse taking for acupuncture treatment in ancient literature of traditional Chinese medicine, and combining with the understanding about pulse taking in Lingshujing (Miraculous Pivot) and later generations' clinical application, the different meanings of "Nishun" are analyzed in the present article. It is concluded that pulse taking during acupuncture treatment is considered the fundamental principle in the age of Lingshujing, and if the pulse conditions are contradicted to the illness, acupuncture treatment is prohibited. The practitioners of the later generations also emphasized that only by ensuring no contradiction between the pulse conditions and illness, could we operate acupuncture treatment. These greatly expand the contents of "Nishun" when taking pulse conditions for acupuncture treatment. All of these have a positive significance to the further research on pulse taking for acupuncture treatment.

[Effects of Acupuncture Intervention Combined with Rehabilitation on Standing-balance-walking Ability in Stroke Patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of acupuncture stimulation of lateral side of Tianzhu (para-BL 10), electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of scalp-point Balance Area (MS 14), Motor Area (MS 6) and body acupoints combined with rehabilitation training on standing-balance and walking ability in stroke patients. METHODS: A total of 145 stroke inpatients were randomly assigned to rehabilitation group (n=48), routine acupuncture group (n=49) and para-BL10 group (n = 48). Patients of the rehabilitation group received balance training and routine rehabilitation training treatment, those of the routine acupuncture group received acupuncture stimulation of scalp-points (MS 14, MS 6), body acupoints, balance training and routine rehabilitation training,and those of the para-BL10 group received acupuncture stimulation of lateral side of BL 10 combined with scalp-points of MS 14 and MS 6 and body acupoints, and balance training and routine rehabilitation training. The treatment was conducted once daily, 5 times per week, 8 weeks altogether. The patients' balancing function, lower-limb motor function and walking ability were assessed using Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Sheikh Trunk Control Ability Scale(STCAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale (FMAS), and Holden Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC), respectively. RESULTS: After 4 and 8 weeks' treatment, the scores of BBS, STCAS, FMAS and FAC in patients of the rehabilitation, routine acupuncture and para-BL10 groups were significantly increased and 10 meters-walking time obviously reduced in comparison with pre-treatment in the same one group (P<0.01). The effects of acupuncture stimulation of para-BL 10 were considerably better than both rehabilitation and routine acupuncture groups in raising BBS, STCAS, FMAS and FAC scores and in reducing 10 m-walking time (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture stimulation of lateral side of BL 10 combined with scalp-points has a significant benefit for stroke patients in standing-balance ability and walking ability.

[Effects of grain-sized moxibustion on learning and memory ability and amyloid deposition of transgenic Alzheimer's disease mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of grain-sized moxibustion at "Xinshu" (BL 15) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) on memory-learning ability and amyloid deposition in transgenic Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice. METHODS: seventeen amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin (PS)1 (APP+/PS 1+) double transgenic 6799 mice aged 3-4 weeks were randomly divided into model group (n = 9) and moxibustion group (n = 8). Nine wide-type (C 57 BL/6 J) female mice were used as the normal control group. Moxibustion (ignited grain-sized moxa cone) was applied to bilateral "Xinshu" (BL 15) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) for about 30 s, once a day for 9 courses (10 days constitute a therapeutic course, with 2 days' break between every two courses). Morris water maze tests were performed to detect the mice's learning-memory ability. The alterations of beta-amyloid deposition (number of the positive plaques) in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus were detected by using an imaging analysis system following Congo red staining of the cerebral tissue sections. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the average escape latency of place navigation tests was significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the target-platform crossing times and percentage of dwell time in the target quadrant of the spatial exploring tests were notably decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). After moxibustion intervention, the escape latency was remarkably shortened, and the target-platform crossing times and dwell time percentage were obviously increased in the moxibustion group in comparison with the model group (P < 0.05), suggesting an improvement of the learning-memory ability after moxibustion. Results of Congo red staining of the cerebral tissue showed that there were many irregular, uneven staining positive plaques in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of AD mice in the model group. Compared with the model group, the positive plaque numbers in both cerebral cortex and hippocampus were considerably reduced in the moxibustion group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Grain-sized moxibustion at "Xinshu" (BL 15) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) can ameliorate learning-memory ability and restrain the formation of amyloid deposition in AD mice.

[Clinical research on acupoint catgut implantation in the prevention and treatment of postpartum pain of uterine contraction with qi and blood deficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the impacts of the acupoint catgut implantation on postpartum pain of uterine contraction with qi and blood deficiency. METHODS: One hundred and ten primiparas of natural delivery differentiated as qi and blood deficiency pattern in TCM were selected as the subjects. They were randomized into an acupoint catgut implantation group (55 cases) and a routine nursing group (55 cases). In the acupoint catgut implantation group, the catgut was implanted in Zigong (EX-CA 1), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Pishu (BL 20) and Geshu (BL 17) in 6 h after delivery; additionally, the routine post-delivery nursing was adopted. In the routine nursing group, the routine post-delivery nursing was applied simply. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and the pain relief time of uterine contraction were compared in 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h after acupoint catgut implantation between the two groups. RESULTS: VAS Scores in 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h after acupoint catgut implantation in the acupoint catgut implantation group were lower apparently than those in the routine nursing group (3.31 +/- 0.39 vs 4.31 +/- 0.29, 1.86 +/- 0.29 vs 2.66 +/- 0.25, 0.89 +/- 0.21 vs 1.59 +/- 0.24, 0.35 +/- 0.10 vs 0.69 +/- 0.13, all P < 0.05). The pain relief was achieved in (72.06 +/- 6.83) h in the acupoint catgut implantation group and was (123.42 +/- 11.12) h in the routine nursing group. The pain relief in the acupoint catgut implantation group was achieved more quickly (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The intervention of acupoint catgut implantation in 6 h after natural delivery in primiparas prevents effectively postpartum pain of uterine contraction.

[Randomized controlled clinical trials for electroacupuncture treatment of urinary incontinence in stroke patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) for post-stroke urinary incontinence in patients. METHODS: A total of 111 stroke inpatients with urinary incontinence were randomly divided into EA group (n = 56) and control group (n = 55). Patients of the control group were treated by administration of calcium ion antagon, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor antagonist, compound thromb-clearing agent (i.v.), etc.,and acupuncture of Jianyu (LI 15), Xuehai (SP 10), etc. Patients of the EA group were treated by EA of bilateral Shenshu (BL 23), Huiyang (BL 35), etc., combined with the treatment as the control group. The treatment was conducted once daily for 4 weeks. Crooks (1995) Scores of the clinical symptoms and clinical efficacy assessment were given before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After the treatment, the severity of urinary incontinence and symptom scores in both control and EA groups were decreased significantly in comparison with pre-treatment (P < 0.01). Following the treatment, of the 55 and 56 stroke patients in the control and EA groups, 0 and 4 (7.1%) were cured in the symptoms of frequent micturition, urgency of micturition and incontinence of urine, 20 (36.4%) and 35 (62.5%) were effective, 35 (63.6%) and 17 (30.4%) were invalid, with the effective rates being 36.4% and 69.6%, respectively. The therapeutic effect of EA group was apparently superior to that of the control group (P < 0.01). In addition, the infection rate of the EA group was strikingly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA can lower the severity of urinary incontinence and improve clinical symptoms of micturition in stroke patients.

[Effect of long-time retention of scalp needle on the abilities of cognition, daily living activity and P300 in vascular dementia patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of long-time retention of scalp needle in the treatment of vascular dementia (VD) patients, and its influence on P300. METHODS: Sixty-five cases of VD patients were randomly divided into acupuncture group (n = 33) and medication group (n = 32). For patients of acupuncture group, Duxil tablets were taken orally, scalp-points Dingzhongxian (MS 5), Ezhongxian (MS 1) and bilateral Dingpangxian I (MS 8) were punctured separately with the filiform needles retained for 10 h, once daily for 8 weeks. Patients of medication group were asked to take Duxil tablets orally, one tablet/time, twice daily for 8 weeks. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Hastgawa dementia scale (HDS) were used to evaluate the patients' abilities of orientation, calculation, immediate and remote memory and speech. Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Scale was used to evaluate their daily life ability. The latency and amplitude of event-related potential P300 of electroencephalograph (EEG) were analyzed before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After the treatment, of the 33 and 32 cases in acupuncture and medication groups, the controlled, markedly effective, effective and ineffective cases were 2 and 1, 9 and 4, 18 and 16, 4 and 11, respectively; with the total effective rates being 87.88% and 68.75% separately. The total effective rate of acupuncture group was obviously higher than that of medication group. Self-comparison showed that MMSE and HDS scores of both acupuncture and medication groups increased significantly in comparison with their individual pre-treatment values (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while ADL of both groups decreased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Before treatment, compared with normal people, the latencies of P300 in two groups increased significantly (P < 0.01), while the amplitudes of two groups decreased significantly (P < 0.01). After the treatment, the situations of two groups were corrected apparently (P < 0.05). The effects of acupuncture group were significantly superior to those of medication group in MMSE, HDS and ADL scores and the latency of P300 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Long-term retention of scalp acupuncture needles can improve VD patients' intelligence, ADL ability and EEG.