OBJECTIVETo probe into the relevance between the parameters of mild moxibustion (persistent time, interval time, treatment session) and the efficacy, as well as the optimum treatment program of mild moxibustion in hypercholesterolemia.

METHODSThe patients with hypercholesterolemia were selected as the observation objects. Mild moxibustion was applied to Shenque (CV 8) and Zusanli (ST 36). The total cholesterol (TC) was taken as the index. The orthogonal experimental design was adopted for paired combination of 3 factors (persistent time, interval time and treatment session) that affected TC reducing in mild moxibustion. Moreover, the changes in blood lipid were observed to choose the optimum treatment program.

RESULTSThe importance of the factors of mild moxibustion that induced TC reducing in the patients with hypercholesterolemia was interval time > treatment session > persistent time. The effect of 10 min moxibustion on each point was better than that of 5 min moxibustion. The effect of once moxibustion every other day was better than that of once every day; and the effect of 6-week treatment was better than that of 12-week treatment.

CONCLUSIONThe interval time of mild moxibustion is the chief factor of the efficacy on hypercholesterolemia. The optimum treatment program is mild moxibustion, 10 min on each point, once every other day and lasting 6 weeks.