OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of medicated thread moxibustion of Zhuang medicine (MTMZ) in treating perimenopausal period syndrome.

METHODSThirty rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a medicated thread group, a no-medicated thread group and a sham operation group, 6 cases in each group. The model of perimenopausal period syndrome was established by ovariectomizing the ovary. The medicated thread group was treated with MTMZ at "Qizhou" acupoint (Extra), "Xiaguanyuan"(Extra), "Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Pishu" (BL 20), etc., once each day for 4 weeks. The no-medicated thread group was treated with no-medicated thread moxibustion at the same acupoints, and there is no treatment in the other groups. The changes of hormone level in each group before and after the treatment were observed.

RESULTSAfter ovariectomizing the ovary, the serum estradiol (E2) in the model group [(308.33 +/- 12.58) pmol/L], the medicated thread group [(304.96 +/- 13.85) pmol/L] and the no-medicated thread group [(303.43 +/- 10.57) pmol/L] were lower than that in the normal group [(478.09 +/- 12.23) pmol/L] and the sham operation group [(488.05 +/- 11.45) pmol/L] (all P < 0.01). After treatment, the E2 level in medicated thread group [(338.92 +/- 11.23) pmol/L] was higher than before (P < 0.01) and that in the model group [(300.53 +/- 13.68) pmol/L] and the no-medicated thread group [(309.74 +/- 13.59) pmol/L] (both P < 0.01), and the serum follicle stimulating hormone [FSH, (58.90 +/- 5.29) U/L] and luteinizing hormone [LH, (64.65 +/- 5.23) U/L] were lower than those in the model group [(65.41 +/- 5.19) U/L], [(71.85 +/- 5.30) U/L] (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMTMZ can increase the serum E2 and reduce the serum FSH and LH in ovariectomized rabbits, and this may be one of the mechanisms of MTMZ for treatment of perimenopausal period syndrome.