In order to clarify the morphological changes in the producing stage of moxa and the differences in the quality of various commodity moxa, we observed samples of each producing stage and several kinds of commodity moxa by the naked eye, scanning and transmission electron microscope.
We confirmed that moxa consisted of T-form hair taken from a mixture of leaf stems and leaves obtained from shredded and ground Altemisia leaves. However, no significant changes were observed in the T-form hair itself since the stem of the T-form and short T-form hair were removed.
Concerning differences in the quality of commodity moxa, differences in the extraneous matter on the hair surface, uniformity of thickness of hair, flatness, crookedness, size of each wad of hair and smoothness of hair surface were observed in addition to the traditional color, impurity, texture, smell and etc.

As a part of the study of Moxibusion, we have examind the leaves of Altemisia vulgaris L. var. indica Maxim (Altemisia) to clarify the structure of one by macroscopic, scanning electron microscopic and transmission electron microscopic observation.
We obtained results as follows;
First, when the structure of Altemisia grown in the sunlight was compared with one grown in the shade, the leaves of the former containd much hairs than one of the latter on both young and matured ones.
Second, the hairs of young leaves were dense, thick and short and the cross section of one showed round shape. On the other hand, in the hairs of matured leaves, their cross section were flat.
Third, as a result of comparison with Altemisia and Gnaphalium multiceps Wall (Gnaphalium), the former had some kinds of glandular hairs and head-form hair except T-form hair, although, the latter had only one kind of head-form hair except woolly hair.

In order to clarify the functional mechanism of the therapeutic effects of moxibustion, we have examined the influences exerted on the organism's defense system, especially the phagocytosis of the reticuloendothelial syntem in normal mice using the carbon clearance method.
Male ddY and ICR mice were used as experimental animals. The experiment was begun when the animals were 5 weeks old. The moxibustion methods involved 3 cones of 15mg or 5mg moxa at right and left LV-14.
We obtained results as follow; the global phagocytic index, K index and the corrected phagocytic index, α index, were increased 3hr after 5mg of moxa/animal treatment and K index increased 3hr and 24hr after 15mg of moxa/animal one in ddY mice.
On the other hand, in ICR mice, 15mg of moxa/animal treatment showed increase in α index after 3hr and increase in both K and α indexs after 120hr.
From the above, it is suggested that the moxibustion stimulation induced the enhancement of the phagocytic activity in normal mice.

In our previous studies, blood coagulation and fibrinolytic activity after single moxibustion were found to change within the range of physiological variability in mice. In this paper, the effect of multiple moxibustion on the activity of blood coagulation was examined by using male ddY mice (6 weeks old). 15mg of moxa was divided into 6 cones and mice were treated by each 3 cones at right and left LV-14. The multiple moxibustion schedule was a total of 5, 10 and 15 treatments. There was no effect of multiple moxibustion on body weight and Ht. 5 treatments of moxibustion showed a significant decrease in PT (p<0.05) and 10 treatments showed an increase in the ma value of TEG and in HPT activity. No significant change in PTT nor ATIII activity was found following multiple treatments of moxibustion.
These results showed that the enhancement of blood coagulation did not continue during multiple moxibustion even though single moxibustion stimulated the activity of blood coagulation at 1 and 3hrs. In addition, the increase in HPT activity induced by 10 treatments of moxibustion may have shown an effect of mildly stimulating liver function.

Effects of moxibustion on liver injury induced by CCl₄ and ethionine in mice were investigated in the reticuloendothelial system. The phagocytic activity was determined by the carbon clearance method and the activity of lysosomal enzyme (acid phosphatase and β-glucuronidase) in peritoneal exudate cells was measured.
Male ddY and ICR mice (5 weeks old) were used as experimental animals.
Liver injury was produced by the administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in a dose of 0.04ml/body in olive oil, p. o., or single administration of ethionine in a dose 1g/kg, i. p.
15mg of moxa was divided into 6 cones and they were treated by each 3 cones on right and left LV-14.
We obtained the following results. After 15 times administration of CCl₄ (3 times a week), the rise of serum transaminase (GOT, GPT), the decrease of K index and α index which meant phagocytic activity and the increase in liver/body (L/B) and spleen/body (S/B) weight ratio were recognized. For CCl₄ induced liver injury, α index and S/B weight ratio were improved by 10 times moxibustion (2 times a week). After 15 times moxibustion (3 times a week), the tendency to increase in K index and to decrease of α index was seen and, at the same time, an increase in L/B weight ratio was seen.
On the other hand, an increase in K index was induced after single administration of ethionine and simultaneous single moxibustion showed the tendency to decrease of K index.
It was suggested that moxibustion play an important role to regulate the mechanism of reticuloendothelial system on CCl₄ or ethionine induced liver injury.

Previous studies have been reported on the properties of moxa and the effect it has on the self defense mechanism of the body. To study the characteristics of acupoints, the study this time is from the point of whether there are any differences in biological responses if the same stimuli (5mg/body and 15mg/body of moxa) are applied to different acupoints. The acupoints chosen were KIMON, which is the therapeutic acupoint of liver, and DAIO, which is the spleen meridian acupoint located on the same vertical line and which has no effect on the liver. Male ddy mice (6 weeks old) were used as experimental animals. A comparison of the clinical biochemical values of serum 1, 3, 6 and 24 hours after application was conducted. The amount of invasion on body function from each moxibustion stimulus through the strength and progress of biological response was studied. Increases in serum Amylase, LDH, CK, GOT, and GPT in the DAIO group were obtained as compared to that of the KIMON group. There was also a decrease in serum CHE in the DAIO group as compared to that of the KIMON group. It was suggested that there were difference in biological responses between different application points, even with the application of the same stimuli.

The study reported here was undertaken to elucidate the action mechanism of moxibustion from the point of view of the blood coagulation and fibrinolytic activities.
Single stimulations at the right and left Chimen (KIMON) of male ddY strain 6 weeks old mice were made by using 15mg of moxa divided into 6 cones. Blood coagulation and fibrinolytic activities were determined at 1, 3, 24, 48, 72 and 168 (7 days) hours after moxibustion.
The increase of maximal amplitude (ma) of thrombelastography (TEG) and the reduction of coagulation time were observed during 1 to 168 hours. The increase of ma and the reduction of reaction time (r) of TEG at 1 and 3 hours, and reduction of plasma recalcification time at 24 hours, partial thromboplastin time at 3 hours and prothrombin time at 72 hours were significant compared with the values of intact normal mice. But these values of TEG and coagulation time were all in the normal range.
On the other hand, the increase of eugloblin lysis time (ELT) were observed at 1 hour, but at 3 to 168 hours, ELT values were reduced. And these activated tendency of plasminogen activator persisted for a period of 7 days.
These results suggest that the single moxibustion stimulation to Chimen induce some effect on the activities of some plasma proteins which concern the blood coagulation-fibrinolytic system.

In our previous studies, it was suggested that the single moxibustion stimulation induced the enhancement of the phagocytic activity in mice. In order to examine the cause of the effect of moxibustion, we have examined the activities of two lysosomal enzymes (acid phosphatase: acid-P and β-glucuronidase: β-Gl) in the peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) and peritoneal macrophage (Mp), and the morphological change of these cells by the Giemsa stain after single moxibustion.
Male ddY and ICR mouse (5-6 weeks old) were used as experimental animals. 15mg of moxa was divided into 6 cones and they were treated by each 3 cones at right and left LV-14.
As a result, an increase of acid-P activity in PEC of ddY mouse was found at 3 and 24hr after single moxibustion.
On the other hand, acid-P activity of PEC was decreased at 3hr, in spite of increase in numbers of PEC in ICR mouse.
These values did not change at 120hr after single moxibustion in ICR mice. But β-Gl activity in the peritoneal Mp was increased 120hr after single moxibustion.
Morphologically, there were a little enlarged and more mild spreading cells in peritoneal Mps from ICR mice 120hr after moxibustion than ones in untreated mice.
That is, lysosomal enzyme activities in PEC and peritoneal Mp increased when phagocytic indexes were higher by moxibustion stimulation in mice.
These results suggest that one of the cause of the enhancement of phagocytic activity in reticuloendothelial system after single moxibustion was the increase of lysosomal enzyme activities in the phagocytic cells.

Effect of multiple moxibustion on the phagocytic activity of the reticuloendothelial system in the normal mice has been studied by using the carbon clearance methods. Simultaneously, effect of multiple one on the lysosomal enzyme activities (acid phosphatase: acid-P and β-glucuronidase: β-GL) of the periotoneal exudate cells (PEC) and the peritoneal macrophage (Mp) has been examined. And the morphology of PEC and peritoneal Mp has been also observed by the Giemsa stain and NBT reaction with lightmicroscopy.
Male ddY and ICR mice (5 weeks old) were used as experimental animals. 15mg of moxa was divided into 6 cones and they were treated by each 3 cones at right and left LV-14. The experimental schedules of multiple moxibustion were 5 times of treatment of every other day, 15 times one of every other day and 15 times one of twice a week.
In 5 times moxibustion of every other day, the mild increase of phagocytic activity in ddY mice, the decrease in number of the peritoneal Mps and the mild increase of lysosomal enzyme activity of PEC and peritoneal Mps in ICR mice were showed. In 15 times moxibustion of every other day, the increase of lysosomal enzyme activity of PEC was recognized without the one of the phagocytic activity in ICR mice. In 15 times moxibustion of twice a week, K index (phagocytic index), β-GL activity of PEC and acid-P activity of peritoneal Mp were significantly increased in ddY mice. And the mild increase of β-GL activity in PEC, the decrease in number of peritoneal Mp and the mild increase of lysosomal enzyme activity in peritoneal Mp were recognized.
There were no difference of cell kinds, cell morphology in PEC and the peritoneal Mp between the untreated and multiple moxibustion treated mice.
These results indicate that the multiple moxibustion does not always induce the enhancement of the phagocytic activity because of the general adaptation syndromes. However, the effect of the multiple one on the lysosomal enzyme activity suggests that these treatment induces the intrisic enhancement of the activity in host defense system.

An observation of the therapeutic effects of the parallel use of acupuncture/moxibustion and medicine (mainly herbs) on 8 patients with chronic liver disorders at our clinic was done for a period of one year. The basic therapeutic points were: Right Chimen (LV), Right Puyung (ST), Chungwan (CV), Tsu sanli (LU), Sanyinchiao (SP), Taichong (LV), Chihyang (GV), Keshu (BL) and Pishu (BL); and other points were determined according to the subjective symptoms of each patient. Treatments were done 2 times a week as a basic rule. Significant improvements were observed in serum GOT, GPT and γ-GTP, and an increase was observed in serum protein. Also, a significant improvement was observed in the subjective symptoms of patients.
Judging from these results, it is suggested that the parallel use of acupuncture/moxibustion and medicine proves to be effective in the treatment of chronic liver disorders.