BACKGROUND: In follow of the gradual decrease of senile gonad function in the body, traditional Chinese medicine views that deficiency of essential qi is the chief reason of body senility. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of tian nian yin on serum testosterone content, superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue and apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell in subacute senile rats. DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment. SETTING: Human Anatomy Department of Chengde Medical College. MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Institute of Basic Medicine of Chengde Medical College from April to July 2003, in which,40 SD male rats were employed and randomized into 4 groups, 10 rats in each group. In model group, medicinal group and the control, D-galactose was injected 200 mg/(kg·d) to prepare subacute senile animal model, once a day, continuously for 40 days. No any management was given in model group after modeling success. In medicinal group, gastric infusion with tian nian yin [composed of zhi heshouwu (Radix Polygoni Mutiflori Preparatea),huainiuxi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), roucongrong (Herba Cistanchis),fuling (Poria), danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) and yinyanghuo (Herba Epimedii), it was decocted till 1.5 g/mL with raw herbs contained] was administrated once a day, totally for 30 days after modeling success. In the control, gastric infusion was administrated with physiological saline of same usage as the medicinal group after modeling success. INTERVENTIONS: In every group, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine testosterone content in serum. Xanthine oxidase assay (XOD) was used to determine superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue and immunohistochemical method (IHC) was used to observe apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Testosterone content in serum. ②Superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue. ③ Apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell RESULTS: Forty rats all entered result analysis. ① Testosterone content in serum: Testosterone content in model group was lower than normal group [(0.52±0.15) μg/L, (1.26 0.32) μg/L, (t=3.004, P ＜ 0.05)], and that in medicinal group was higher than model group [(1.16±0.32) μg/L,(0.52 0.15) μg/L, (t=2.321, P ＜ 0.05)]. ② Superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue: Superoxide dismutase activity in model group was lower remarkably than the normal group [(107.22±9.33) kNU/g, (147.73±11.90) kNU/g,(t=13.339, P ＜ 0.01)], and that in medicinal group was higher remarkably than model group [(141.05±14.57) kNU/g, (107.22±9.33) kNU/g, (t=9.970,P ＜ 0.01)]. ③ Apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell: Percentage of apoptotic seniniferous tubule and apoptotic rate of positive cell in model group were higher remarkably thannormal group respectively [(53.95 ±2.02)％compared with (34.21±2.10)％, (8.67±0.80)％ compared with (3.86±0.52)％,(x2=7.9, P ＜ 0.01, x2=5.01, P ＜ 0.05)], and those in medicinal group were lower remarkably than model group[(35.33±2.18)％ compared with (53.95±2.02)％, (4.68±0.74)％ compared with (8.67±0.80)％, (x2=7.02, P ＜ 0.01, x2=3.96, P ＜ 0.05)]. CONCLUSION: The apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell was increased in senile modelgroup. Tian nian yin in gastric infusion decreased apoptotic rate of positive cell. It is explained that tian nian yin eliminates surplus oxygenic free radical, decreases apoptosis and improves seminiferous function in animal model.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical therapeutic effects and safety on moderate and severe persistent allergic rhinitis treated with acupoint application therapy of the different intensity during the dog days.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty patients of moderate and severe persistent allergic rhinitis were randomized into a No.1 treatment group, a No.2 treatment group, a No.3 treatment group and a placebo group, 40 cases in each one. The same acupoints were used in the four groups, named Dazhui (GV 14), Dingchuan (EX-B1), Feishu (BL 13), Pishu (BL 20), Mingmen (GV 4), Gaohuang (BL 43), Shenshu (BL 23) and Qihai (CV 6). In the three treatment groups, the fine powder of the ingredients (,,,) of compoundformula was used. In the No.1 treatment group, the herbal paste (ginger-prepared paste) was prepared with ginger juice and the above herbal powder. In the No.2 and No.3 treatment groups, the herbal paste (honey-prepared paste) was prepared with honey with the above herbal powder. In the placebo group, the pseudo-herbal paste of the same appearance was prepared with millet powder and distilled water. The acupoint application was given for 2 h in the No.1 and No.2 groups and was for 6 h in the No.3 treatment group and the placebo group. The acupoint application therapy was given once every week during the dogdays, continuously for 5 weeks. The total nasal symptom score (TNSS), the score of the rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) and the count of blood eosinophils (EOS) were observed in the patients of the 4 groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared among the 4 groups. The incidences of the skin adverse reactions were observed in each treatment group.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the scores of TNSS and RQLQ were all reduced as compared with those before treatment in the three treatment groups (<0.05,<0.01), in which, the improvements in the No.3 treatment group were better than those in the No.1 treatment group and the No.2 treatment group (both<0.05). After treatment, the count of EOS was all reduced as compared with that before treatment in the three treatment groups (all<0.05). The differences were not significant statistically among the three treatment groups (all>0.05). The total effective rate was 85.0% (34/40) in the No.3 treatment group, better than 76.3% (29/38) in the No.1 treatment group, 71.8% (28/39) in the No.2 treatment group and 5.0% (2/40) in the placebo group (<0.05,<0.01). The incidences of the skin adverse reaction in the No.3 treatment group and the No.2 treatment group were lower than those in the No.1 treatment group (both<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe acupoint application of the different intensity relieves the symptoms and improves the living quality in the patients of moderate and severe persistent allergic rhinitis. The stimulation of the ginger-prepared herbal paste is strong and induces skin blisters after 2 h herbal application. The stimulation of the honey-prepared herbal paste is moderate and does not induce blisters. The 6 h stimulation of the honey-prepared herbal paste is mild and the therapeutic effect is optimal.