OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Aconite cake-separated moxibustion on primary knee osteoarthritis of liver and kidney deficiency type.

METHODSFifty-six cases of such disease (80 knees) were randomly divided into a cake-separated moxibustion group (41 knees) with Neixiyan (EX-LE 5), Dubi (ST 35), Yinlingquan (SP 9) etc. selected, and a western medicine group (39 knees) were treated with oral administration of Sodium Diclofenate Slow-released Tablet.

RESULTSThe cumulative score for symptoms and signs was (37.41 +/- 6.61) points before treatment and (9.37 +/- 8.15) points after treatment in the cake-separated moxibustion group and (37.64 - 6.00) points before treatment and (12.05 +/- 8.83) points after treatment in the western medicine group, with a very significant difference before and after treatment in the two groups (P < 0.01); two months after treatment, it was (11.71 +/- 8.69) points in the cake-separated moxibustion group and (15.95 +/- 9.96) points in the western medicine group, the former being better than the latter (P < 0.05). After the end of treatment, there was no significant difference in the comprehensive therapeutic effect between the two groups (P > 0.05), the cured and markedly effective rate was 63.4% in the cake-separated moxibustion group and 48.7% in the western medicine group, but two months after treatment, the cured and markedly effective rate of 56.1% in the cake-separated moxibustion group was better than 33.3% in the western medicine group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAconite cake-separated moxibustion has an ideal therapeutic effect on primary knee osteoarthritis of liver and kidney deficiency type, and the therapeutic effect at anaphase is better than that of Sodium Diclofenate Slow-released Tablet.