The development of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy in Madagascar is introduced briefly in this paper. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy was introduced to Madagascar in 1975 by China Medical Aid Team. China Medical Aid Team had established acupuncture and moxibustion department in four hospitals, with 10 to 20 treatment beds. Taking Vatomandry Hospital and Sambava Hospital as the examples to introduce the general situation and the current questions in acupuncture-moxibustion department of comprehensive hospitals in Madagascar, so as to explore the future development potential of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy in the country.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Madagascar ; Moxibustion

To collect and arrange the explanations of meridian theory of professor CHENG Dan-an at different stages, and analyze the point, value and connotation of views of meridian theory of professor CHENG Dan-an. Affected by western medicine, professor CHENG Dan-an once expounded the views of meridian theory from blood vessel and nerves, and eventually returned the study to tradition. Moreover, he held on that meridian theory was the key point of acupuncture foundation and clinic was the important perspective for meridian theory understanding and researching.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Massage ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngitis ; etiology ; therapy ; Spinal Diseases ; complications ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare differences of effects between new moxibustion-massage apparatus and suspended moxibustion for infantile asthma.

METHODSSixty patients were divided into 2 groups randomly, observation group and control group, 30 cases in each. Tiaoyuan Yuping Decoction, a decoction made by the hospital, was applied for both groups. New moxibustion-massage apparatus was applied for the observation group, and suspended moxibustion was adopted for the control group. Moxibustion was applied on acupoints of Fengmen (BL 12), Feishu (BL 13), Geshu (BL 17), Pishu (BL 20), Juque (CV 14) and Zhongwan (CV 12) for 3 months, and therapeutic effect was observed.

RESULTSThe remarkably effective rate of the observe group is 66.7% (20/30) and the total effective rate is 90.0% (27/30), which are better than 40.0% (12/30) and 83.3% (25/30) of the control group. The asthma of attack of both groups after the treatment obviously decreased (both P < 0.05). The asthma of attack of the observation group is obviously lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). And the effect is approved without side-effects such as dermal infection.

CONCLUSIONIt is held that the combination of new moxibustion-massage apparatus and Chinese medicine for infantile asthma in remission stage has obvious therapeutic effect, which can reduce the attack of asthma and alleviate symptoms. The result is better than suspended moxibustion.

Asthma ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Massage ; Moxibustion

Acupuncture Points ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Seasons ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy of Tuina for postpartum lactation and work out a optimal protocol involved.

METHODSWith a randomized, controlled and clinical method, 84 primiparas were divided into a Tuina group and a control group. While patients in the control group received rooming-in conventional managements, those in the Tuina group were additionally treated with Tuina, including local manipulations on breasts combined with acupoint manipulations. The colostrum-time, lactation quantity and prolactin were observed to make the comparisons between two groups.

RESULTSThe scores of lactation quantity after 1th, 2nd, 3rd of the treatment were 1.660 +/- 0.785, 2.530 +/- 1.030, 2.880 +/- 1.171 in Tuina group and 1.270 +/- 0.533, 1.460 +/- 0.811, 1.500 +/- 0.583 in control group respectively, where there were significant differences in each time stage between two groups (all P < 0.001). The time of colostrum was (21.6 6 +/- 10.508) h in the Tuina group and (22.5 +/- 9.762) h in the control group, in which the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The levels of prolactin (314.35 +/- 110.37) ng/mL and (321.56 +/- 109.61) ng/mL in Tuina group, (385.78 +/- 85.19) ng/mL and (340.12 +/- 103.10) ng/mL in control group before and after treatment, there were no significant differences (both P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPostpartum Tuina on breasts could increase the quantity of lactation and delay the decreasing of the levels of prolactin, which contributes primiparas to lactate more and sooner.

Adult ; Amobarbital ; Breast ; secretion ; Breast Feeding ; Colostrum ; secretion ; Drug Combinations ; Female ; Humans ; Lactation ; Milk, Human ; secretion ; Postpartum Period ; physiology ; Prolactin ; metabolism ; Secobarbital ; Young Adult

Standardized Manipulation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Part 8: Intradermal Needle was compiled with the following principles. The compiling standard, technical features and clinic manipulations of intradermal needle were taken as the basic principle for compiling. Literature research, expert survey and clinic practice verification were applied as the drafting methods. The key issues were focused on the relationship between standardization and individualization, normalization and effectiveness, qualification and quantification. And the postural selection, reinforcing and reducing manipulations, fixing materials and embedding duration involved in intradermal needling were emphasized particularly. At the same time, details and the future way of thinking of intradermal needle were expounded in this article as well.
Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; standards ; China ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; standards ; Needles ; standards ; Reference Standards

OBJECTIVETo discover the central mechanisms of antipyretic effect of moxibustion and its relationship with the acupoint sensor so as to provide the scientific evidence for "the treatment of heat syndrome with moxibustion".

METHODSEighteen New Zealand Rabbits were randomly assigned into three groups, named group A (modeling with intravenous injection of Endotoxin), group B (moxibustion at 40 degrees C after Endotoxin injection) and group C (moxibustion at 48 degrees C after Endotoxin injection), 6 rabbits in each one. The experiment was undergoing in the condition of muscular relaxation and artificial respiration for the animals. The spotlight moxibustion at constant temperature was applied to "Zhiyang" (GV 9). The discharge of heat sensitive neurons (HSNs) at the preoptic region and anterior hypothalamus (POAH) was taken as the index. The impacts of the treatment on HSNs were observed in each group.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONMoxibustion had significant antagonism to the pyrogen on its inhibition to the activity of HSNs in the thermotaxic center. As a result, the antipyretic effect was obtained. It is concluded that the effective result of moxibustion is achieved by stimulating polymodal receptors of acupoints.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Body Temperature Regulation ; Fever ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Rabbits ; Thermoreceptors ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo discuss the mechanisms of electroacupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) on p38 MAPK signaling pathway in rats with cardiac hypertrophy.

METHODSForty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal group, a model group, a model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group, a model plus electroacupuncture group, ten rats in each group. The model rats were established by subcutaneous injection 3 mg/(kg x d) of Isoprenaline Hydrochloride; model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group were injected 0.3 mg/(kg x d) of specific inhibitor SB 203580; model plus electroacupuncture group was treated by electroacupuncture at "Neiguan"(PC 6) with continuous-wave, 2 Hz and 1 mA for 20 minutes, once a day for 14 days. There was no treatment in other two groups. The contents of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in heart tissue were detected by radioimmunoassay and the p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK by western blot.

RESULTSCompared with normal group, the contents of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK were significantly increased in model group (all P < 0.01). The contents of TNFalpha, IL-1beta, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK were significantly decreased in model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group and model plus electroacupuncture group, compared with model group, all P < 0.05; compared with normal group, P < 0.05, P < 0.01; but no significant difference between model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group and model plus electroacupuncture group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) can prevent the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK of myocardial hypertrophy, and the mechanism maybe adjust p38 MAPK signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

Acupuncture Points ; Hand ; anatomy & histology ; Hand Bones ; anatomy & histology ; Humans