OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy and partial mechanism of medicinal-cake-separated moxibustion for senile osteoporosis.

METHODSSixty cases of senile osteoporosis were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group according to the random digits table, 30 cases in each one. The two groups were both treated with basic treatment of western medicine. The acupoints included four groups:① Dazhui (GV 14), Dazhu (BL 11) and Ganshu (BL 18); ② Zhongwan (CV 12), Danzhong (CV 17) and Zusanli (ST 36); ③ Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and Mingmen (GV 4); ④ Shenque (CV 8) and Guanyuan (CV 4). Each group of acupoints was selected for one treatment. The observation group was treated with medicinal-cake-separated moxibustion, and the medicinal cake was consisted of fructus psoraleae (30 g), prepared rehmannia root (30 g), atractylodes (30 g), codonopsis pilosula (30 g), epimedium herb (20 g), rhizoma curculiginis (20 g), syzygium aromaticum (5 g) and cinnamon (5 g). The control group was treated with wheat-flour-cake moxibustion. Each acupoint was treated with 5 moxa cones in the two groups. The treatment was given once every other day for six months. The symptom score, lumbar and hip bone mineral density (BMD), serum type Ⅰ procollagen amino-terminal propeptide (PINP) and serum β-type Ⅰ collagen carboxy-terminal peptide (β-CTX) were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the symptom score and serum β-CTX were significantly lowered (all<0.05), while the lumbar and hip BMD and serum PINP were significantly increased (all<0.05) of the two groups. After treatment, the symptom score and serum β-CTX in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (both<0.05), while the lumbar and hip BMD and serum PINP in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe medicinal-cake-separated moxibustion has significant efficacy for senile osteoporosis, which is superior to wheat-cake-se-parated moxibustion.