UNLABELLEDOBJECTIVE; To observe clinical therapeutic effect and the mechanism of drug-separated moxibustion at the navel for delaying aging.

METHODSSeventy-one cases were randomly divided into 3 groups. The group of drug-separated moxibustion at the navel (n=30) were treated with drug-separated moxibustion at the navel, twice each week; the acupuncture group (n=21) with acupuncture at Shenshu (BL 23) and Taixi (KI 3) as main points once each day; the western medicine group (n=20) with oral administration of vitamin E capsules, 0. 1 g each time, twice daily. Their clinical therapeutic effects, and changes of cumulative scores, serum SOD activities and MDA contents after treatment were compared among the 3 groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment, clinical symptoms in the 3 groups very significantly improved (P < 0.01), with the group of drug-separated moxibustion at the navel more significantly improved (P < 0.01); in the 3 groups, SOD activities significantly increased (P < 0.01) and serum MDA contents significantly decreased (P < 0.01), and SOD activity and MDA content in the group of drug-separated moxibustion at the navel were not significantly different from those in the acupuncture group (P > 0.05), but significantly different from those in the western medicine group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe drug-separated moxibustion at the navel can significantly delay aging.