Objective To compare the therapeutic efficacy between warm needling and Pyridostigmine bromide in treating ocular myasthenia gravis, for seeking the optimal treatment method. Method Seventy patients with ocular myasthenia gravis were randomized into a treatment group intervened by warm needling and control group intervened by Pyridostingmine bromide, 35 in each group; meanwhile, fortified Yi Qi Tang decoction was given to both groups. The observation lasted 6 weeks and a 3-month follow-up was conducted. The clinical absolute and relative scoring system for myasthenia gravis, and the Chinese medicine syndrome scale for spleen-qi deficiency were adopted for quantitative comparison and efficacy evaluation. Result The total effective rate was 85.7% in the treatment group, higher than that in the control group. Conclusion Warm needling plus herbal medicine is effective in treating ocular myasthenia gravis.

According to the differentiation of symptamcomplex theory of Spleen Deficiency on myasthenia grvis, with our clinical experience of treatment for some years. Astragalus Saponins and Buzhong Yiqi compound were selected to make phannaceutic experiment for peripheral blood mononuclear cells culture of 14 samples of 10 myasthenia gravis patients. Two controlled groups were given with the treatment of dexamethasone and 60Co respectively. The results showed that liters of nAchR-Ab in cells culture superatants were significantly decreased by watersoluble Astragalus saponias (418.8-2328 fmol/rnl- 0 fmol/ml in 6 cases; 1143 -1235 fmol/ml - 43-157 fmol/ml in 2 cases). Buzhong Yiqi compund could enhance the immunoregulatory action.