ObjectiveTo explore the effect of dressing-pretreatment on forepart inflammation in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats.MethodsAA model was established by subcutaneous injection of Freund's complete adjuvant into the right hind-paw (0.1 ml/animal). 24 Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group, model group and dressing-pretreatment groups. In dressing-pretreatment group, "Dazhui" (GV14) was applied by a kind of dressing invented by the researchers. The foot swelling rate, serum concentrations of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6 and tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α) were assessed.ResultsCompared with the control group, the foot swelling rate and serum concentrations of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α of the model group and dressing-pretreatment group increased significantly (P<0.01); but the foot swelling rate and serum concentrations of IL-1 and IL-6 in dressing-pretreatment group decreased significantly compared with those of the model group (P<0.05～0.01), and there was a downtrend in TNF-α. HE stain showed soakage of phlogistic cell in cartilage and arthritis membrane, hyperplasia of vein and breakage of cartilage were better in dressing-pretreatment group compared with that in the model group.ConclusionDressing-pretreatment can decrease forepart inflammation and pathological damage of arthritis in AA rats, and can prevent the harm of consequent disease to some extent.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of dressing and moxibustion-pretreatment on the local joint swelling and stress hormone in hypothalami of rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA) at early and secondary stages.MethodsForty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal group, early and secondary model groups, early and secondary pre-dressing and moxibustion (PDM) groups. The dressing with Chinese herb and moxibustion was stuck on Dazhui point (GV14) before the AA model established. The effects of dressing and moxibustion-pretreatment on the feet swelling and corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH), beta-endorphin (β-EP) and neuropeptide-Y (NPY) in hypothalami were observed.ResultsThe right feet swelling rate at early and secondary stages obviously increased after modeling ( P<0.01), and it became lower in early and secondary PDM groups than in model groups at the same phases ( P<0.05～0.01). The level of hypothalamic CRH was higher after modeling ( P<0.05～0.01), compared with early model group, it had a tendency to going down in early PDM group, moreover, in secondary PDM group the level was similar with the normal group. The level of hypothalamic β-EP increased significantly in early model group ( P<0.01), and lightly changed in secondary model group, it decreased in early PDM group but increased in secondary PDM group, compared with model groups at the same stages ( P<0.05). The level of hypothalamic NPY increased significantly after modeling, and it declined in the secondary PDM group ( P<0.05).ConclusionDressing and moxibustion-pretreatment can relief feet swelling of AA rats, which may be related with its regulative effect on the level of hypothalamic CRH, β-EP and NPY.