OBJECTIVETo Assess therapeutic effect of ear point taping and pressing therapy combined with acupoint-injection on residual neuralgia of herpes zoster.

METHODSOne hundred and sixteen cases were randomly divided into a comprehensive group (n = 60) and a medication group (n = 56). The medication group were treated with routine western medicine, and the comprehensive group with ear point taping and pressing therapy combined with acupoint-injection besides the routine western medicine. Auricular points selected for ear point taping and pressing were Shemen, Neifenmi (endorine), Pizhixia (subcortex), Gan (liver), Dan (gallbladder), Fei (lung) and corresponding auricular points to the lesion parts, with the two ears alternatively used, pressing each day; points selected for point-injection of VitB12 were Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), Quchi (LI 11), Taichong (LR 3). The pain degrees, the time of pain alleviation and pain ceasing of the patient were regularly recorded.

RESULTSThe average time of pain alleviation and pain ceasing of the patient in the comprehensive group were significantly shorter than those in the medication group (P < 0.01). The cured rate and the cured and markedly effective rate were 60.0% and 83.3% in the comprehensive group, and 28.6% and 50.0% in the medication group, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEar point taping and pressing therapy combined with acupoint-injection is effective and safe for treatment of residual neuralgia of herpes zoster.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at different frequencies on learning and memory functions, as well as the relevant proteins of brain insulin signal transduction pathway in Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice and explore the effect mechanism of EA in treatment of AD. METHODS: Seventy-two SPF Kunming male mice were randomized into a blank group, a sham-operation group, a model group, a 2 Hz EA group, a 15 Hz EA group and a 30 Hz EA group, 12 mice in each one. In the model group and each EA group, AD model were established by the injection with streptozotocin (ST2) solution (8 mg/kg) into the left lateral ventricles. In the sham-operation group, 0.9% sodium chloride solution of the same volume was injected into the left lateral ventricles. After successful modeling, in each EA group, EA was applied at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Dazhui" (GV 14) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) with corresponding frequencies, once daily. One course of EA intervention consisted of 7 treatments and 2 courses were given totally at interval of 1 day. After modeling and intervention, Morris water maze test was conducted for the mice of each group. Using immunohistochemistry and Western blot method, the protein expression of insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) was detected in the hippocampal of the mice after intervention. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, in the model group, the 2 Hz, 15 Hz and 30 Hz EA groups, the escape latency and the first time of crossing the platform were all extended (P<0.01), and the number of crossing the platform was reduced (P<0.01) after modeling. When compared with the blank group, the escape latency and the first time of crossing the platform were all extended (P<0.01), and the number of crossing the platform was reduced (P<0.01) in the model group after intervention. In the 2 Hz, 15 Hz and 30 Hz EA groups, the escape latency and the first time of crossing the platform were all shortened (P<0.01), and the number of crossing the platform was increased (P<0.05, P<0.01) after intervention when compared with the model group. The escape latency and the first time of crossing the platform were all shortened (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the number of crossing the platform was increased (P<0.05) in the 15 Hz and 30 Hz EA groups in comparison with the 2 Hz EA group. The protein expression levels of IR, IRS-1 and PI3K were reduced in the model group when compared with those of the blank group (P<0.01, P<0.05); and these protein expression levels were increased in the 15 Hz and 30 Hz EA groups compared with the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the 2 Hz EA group, the protein expression levels of IR, IRS-1 and PI3K were all elevated in the 15 Hz and 30 Hz EA groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The learning and memory function of AD mice may be improved through regulating brain insulin signaling transconduction pathway with electroacupuncture, and electroacupuncture at 15 Hz and 30 Hz obtains the overall better effect compared with the intervention at 2 Hz.
Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Alzheimer Disease/therapy* ; Electroacupuncture ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Insulin/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Diethylhexyl Phthalate/toxicity* ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Humans ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Phthalic Acids