Acupuncture Therapy ; Apoptosis ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of acupuncture and moxibustion on humoral immunity and cellular immunity related indexes in patients with bra-chiocephalic Takayasu arteritis (BCTA), so as to explore its underlying mechanisms in the treatment of Takayasu arteritis (TA). METHODS: A total of 31 BCTA patients (9 men and 22 women at age of 16-70 years) were treated by manual acupuncture stimulation of main acupoint Renying(ST 9)and auxillary acupoints as Jiquan (HT 1), Chize (LU 5), Fengchi (GB 20), bilateral Xinshu (BL15), Feishu (BL 13) and Geshu (BL 17), Jingming (BL 1), etc. according to clinical symptoms, with the needles retained for 20 min. Additionally, moxibustion was applied to Taiyuan (LU 9), BL 15, BL 13 and BL 17. The treatment was conducted twice daily for 4 weeks. Serum IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, C3 , C4 contents, and CD 3＋， CD 4＋， CD 8＋ T lymphocytes contents were assayed by using immue turbidimetry and cell counting. RESULTS: Before the treatment and in these 31 BCTA patients, an abnormal increase was found in serum IgG content in 10 cases, IgM in 3 cases, IgE in 3 cases, C3 in 11 cases, CD 4＋ in 6 cases, and CD 8＋ in 9 cases, and an abnormal decrease was found in serum CD 3＋ level in 11 cases, CD 4＋ in 7 cases, as well as CD 8＋ in 4 cases. After the treatment, the increased levels of IgG, IgM, C3, CD 4＋ and CD 8＋ in patients with abnormally higher values were considerably down-regulated (P<0.05), the decreased levels of CD 3＋， CD 4＋ and CD 8＋ in patients with abnormally lower values were evidently up-regulated (P<0.05). No significant changes were found in IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, C3 and C4, CD 3＋ and CD 8＋ in patients with normal values of these indexes after the treatment (P>0.05). The CD 4＋ level in patients with normal value was significantly deun-regulated after the treatment (P<0.05), but still in the range of normal value. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture plus moxibustion can regulate some of the abnormally elevated and lowered humoral immunity and cellular immunity related indexes in BCTA patients, possibly having a favorable role in the treatment of BCTA.

Objective To investigate the alterations of tight junction proteins in duodenal mucosa from 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced Parkinson's disease(PD) model. Methods Rats were subjected with 6-OHDA in bilateral substantia nigra (SN) as PD model. The location and quantitative detecting techniques inclu-ding immunohisto- chemistry and western blotting were used to determine the expressions and alterations of tight junction proteins (claudin-1, occludin, ZO-1). Results Claudin-1, occludin and ZO-1 were highly expressed in the duodenal mucosa of PD models, where the expressions of occluding (P<0.001) and ZO-1 (P<0.001) were much lower, while the expression of claudin-1 had no alteration. Conclusions The down-regulated expres-sion of occludin and ZO-1 was detected in duodenal mucosa of PD models, which might be related to duodenal ulcer in PD.

Objective To investigate the alterations of tight junction proteins in duodenal mucosa from 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced Parkinson's disease(PD) model. Methods Rats were subjected with 6-OHDA in bilateral substantia nigra (SN) as PD model. The location and quantitative detecting techniques inclu-ding immunohisto- chemistry and western blotting were used to determine the expressions and alterations of tight junction proteins (claudin-1, occludin, ZO-1). Results Claudin-1, occludin and ZO-1 were highly expressed in the duodenal mucosa of PD models, where the expressions of occluding (P<0.001) and ZO-1 (P<0.001) were much lower, while the expression of claudin-1 had no alteration. Conclusions The down-regulated expres-sion of occludin and ZO-1 was detected in duodenal mucosa of PD models, which might be related to duodenal ulcer in PD.

To explore the clinical efficacy of "regulate (triple warmer) acupuncture" in the treatment of gynecological diseases. To discuss the pathogenesis of and gynecological diseases, and to briefly analyze the theory of "regulate acupuncture", the method of selecting acupoints and operating methods. In order to use the "regulate " as the rule, Baihui (GV 20), Danzhong (CV 17), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Xuehai (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), were selected as the main acupoints to cooperate with syndrome differentiation for the treatment of gynecological diseases, such as infertility, perimenopausal syndrome. "Regulate acupuncture" is effective in the treatment of infertility and perimenopausal syndrome, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.
Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Genital Diseases, Female ; therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the inhibiting effect of acupuncture at points Neiguan(PC6) and Shuigou(GV26) on caspase-3, and PARP-1 mRNA and protein expressions in the cerebral cortex in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Method Forty male SD rats were randomized to normal, sham operation, model and acupuncture groups. A model of middle cerebral artery infarction was made by modified Longa thread occlusion. Neurological function was scored using a 6-grade 5-point Bederson's scale. Caspase-3, and PARP-1 mRNA and protein expressions in rat cerebral cortex were determined using real-time PCR and Western Blot at 24 hrs after cerebral ischemia. Result Neurological deficit was reduced in the acupuncture group of rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion compared with the model group (P<0.01). Acupuncture could down-regulate caspase-3, and PARP-1 mRNA and protein expressions and there was a statistically significant difference compared with the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01; P<0.05, P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture at points Neiguan and Shuigou can down-regulate caspase-3, and PARP-1 mRNA and protein expressions in the cerebral cortex in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

UNLABELLEDOCTOBER: To explore the effects of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) liraglutide on the penile erectile function of rats with diabetic erectile dysfunction (DED) by observing the impact of liraglutide on the expression of eNOS in the corpus cavernosum of diabetic rats.

METHODSWe randomly divided 30 six-week-old male SD rats into a normal control (n = 10) and an experimental group (n = 20) , established models of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the experimental rats, and subdivided them into a DM (n = 8) and a GLP-1 group (n = 8) to receive intramuscular injection of normal saline and liraglutide at 5 mg per kg of the body weight per day, respectively. After 12 weeks of intervention, we obtained the levels of FPG, FINS, TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, testosterone, and IL-6 and the indexes of Homa-IR and Homa-β, detected the expressions of Akt/p-Akt and eNOS/p-eNOS in the corpus cavernosum by Western blot, and compared the erectile function between different groups.

RESULTSThe frequency and rate of penile erection were significantly lower in the DM group than in the GLP-1 and normal control groups (P < 0.05) and also lower in the GLP-1 group than in the normal controls (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed the expression of eNOS mainly in the cytoplasm of the cavernosal vessels and sinusoidal endothelial cells, markedly lower in the DM and GLP-1 groups than in the normal rats (P < 0.05), but higher in the GLP-1 than in the DM group (P < 0.05). The level of eNOS/p-eNOS in the penile tissue was significantly decreased in the DM and GLP-1 groups in comparison with the normal controls (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), while that of p-eNOS was markedly increased in the GLP-1 group as compared with the DM group (P < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in the Akt level among the three groups of animals (P > 0.05). The expression of p-Akt was remarkably reduced in the DM and GLP-1 groups in comparison with the control rats (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but higher in the GLP-1 than in the DM group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGLP-1 can protect the function of endothelial cells in the corpus cavernosum and improve the erectile function of DED rats by regulating the Akt/ eNOS signaling pathway, which indicates that GLP-1 could be an important option for the treatment and prevention of DED.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Liraglutide ; pharmacology ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Penis ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on takayasu arteritis of brachiocephalic artery type and the mechanism.

METHODSThirty-one cases were treated by acupuncture and moxibustion at main acupoint Renying (ST 9) and adjuvant acupoints selected according to the symptoms. The therapeutic effect and changes of color Doppler's ultrasonic flow image (CDFI) of relevant arteries in patients before and after treatment were investigated.

RESULTSThe clinical total effective rate was 90.3%. Of the 31 cases, 5 cases were clinically cured, 16 cases were markedly effective, 7 cases improved and 3 cases were ineffective; and it was showed that acupuncture and moxibustion could enlarge the inner diameter of the injured blood vessel, increase the volume of blood flow and the elastic index of the injured blood vessel, and improve the abnormal velocity and the abnormal crest form of blood flow.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and moxibustion has a good therapeutic effect on takayasu arteritis of brachiocephalic artery type; acupuncture and moxibustion can improve the stenotic degree of the injured blood vessel and abnormal hemodynamics of blood flow in the limb and brain.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Vessels ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Takayasu Arteritis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To explore the mechanisms of different cholic acid for reducing damage to human liver cells lines L-O2 induced by amanita toxic peptides (amataxins).Methods According to different concentrations of amataxins,the experiment was conducted with different dosages in 5 groups:0.00 g/L,0.26 g/L,0.40 g/L,1.40 g/L and 2.80 g/L.The human liver cells lines L-O2 in the exponential growth phase were cultured into 96-well plates,1 ×103 cells per well After 24 hours,the concentrations of amanita toxic peptides mentioned above were added.The minimum concentration of mushroom toxins keeping the liver cells alive was determined after 24,48 and 72 hours,respectively,and MTT method was used to test each group's liver cell activity.The experiment included 3 groups:the control group,the damage group,and the cholic acid group.Each group had 3 time points:24,48 and 72 hours after being attacked.Twenty four hours after attack,in cholic acid group,cholic acid drugs including taurocholic acid gca,goose deoxycholic acid,gansu ammonia goose deoxycholic acid and bovine goose deoxycholic acid were given,respectively,to protect the injured liver cells.Cells' morphology changes were observed under the inverted phase contrast microscope,living cells were counted by using MTT method,and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in the culture supernatant were tested by the biochemical method.Results The minimum attack concentration of lamanita toxic peptides keeping liver cell survival in vitro was 1.40 g/L.Seventy-two hours after attack by amanita toxic peptides,the absorbance value was 0.812 ± 0.035,0.345 ± 0.021,0.363 ± 0.018,0.387 ± 0.027,0.431 ± 0.018,0.465 ± 0.015 and 0.452 ± 0.030,respectively in the control group,the damage group,the taurocholic acid group,the goose deoxycholic acid group,the glycocholic acid group,the glycochenodeoxycholic acid group and the sodium deoxycholic acid group.Compared with the damage group,absorbance value 72 hours after attack in each cholic acid group gradually increased,and compared with damage group,the differences were statistically significant among goose deoxycholic acid group,glycocholic acid group,glycochenodeoxycholic acid group and sodium deoxycholic acid group(P ＜ 0.05).AST and ALT activity in each cholic acid group declined,and that in glycochenodeoxycholic acid group was the lowest.Compared with the damage group,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Cholic acid can protect human liver cells from the damage induced by amanita toxic peptides.Such effect may be related to the fact that both amanita toxic peptides and cholic acid are the substrates of NTCP and OATP.

OBJECTIVETo explore the intervention timing of acupuncture in treatment of cerebral infarction and the relationship of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury with inflammatory cytokine receptor.

METHODSOne hundred and ten male healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group (n=10), a sham operation group (n=10), a model group (n=10), an acupuncture at non-acupoint group (non-acupoint group, n=40), an acupuncture with regaining consciousness method group (regaining consciousness group, n=40). Four subgroups were set up 1 h ischemia reperfusion in 1 h group, 3 h group, 6 h group, 12 h group in the two acupuncture groups, 10 rats in each subgroup. Two acupuncture groups were treated with acupuncture at four time points (1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 12 h after ischemia reperfusion), and "Shuigou" (GV 26) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) were selected in regaining consciousness group, and the non-acupoints below the bilateral costal region were selected in non-acupoint group. At the corresponding time point, the tissues of the brain were removed and interleukin1 receptor (IL-1RI) and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR-I) mRNA and protein changes were detected by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot assay.

RESULTSThe expression of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein in the model group were significantly higher than that in normal group, sham operation group, regaining consciousness group and non-acupoint group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The expression of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein in regaining consciousness group was weakest at 3 h after reperfusion followed successively by 6 h, 1 h, 12 h, and there was no significantly change of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein expression in non-acupoint group among different timing points, but which was decreased as compared with those in the model group at the same time point (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can reduce the expression of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein in rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion, inhibit the excessive expression of proinflammatory cytokine receptor, block apoptosis signal transduction and extend time window for treatment of cerebral ischemia, so as to play the protective effect for brain. Within 3 h of ischemia is the best time for intervention of acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Interleukin-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy