Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of microinvasive PGLA thread embedding on neck pain due to cervical spondylosis. Method One hundred and five cervical spondylosis patients with complaints of neck pain were randomly allocated to three groups, 35 cases each. The thread embedding group received PGLA thread embedding therapy;the control group, acupuncture with thread-embedding needles (without thread embedding);the acupuncture group, conventional acupuncture. Result There was a significant difference in the relief of symptoms and signs between the thread embedding or acupuncture group and the control group (P<0.05). There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the VAS score and the PPI score in the thread embedding and acupuncture groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the above scores between the thread embedding or acupuncture group and the control group (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 17.1% in the control group, 77.1%in the acupuncture group and 94.3%in the thread embedding group. The total efficacy rate was significantly higher in the thread embedding group than in acupuncture and control groups. Conclusion The therapeutic effect on neck pain due to cervical spondylosis is produced by PGLA thread stimulation of the acupoints and not by simple injurious stimulation with thread-embedding needles. PGLA thread embedding has a marked therapeutic effect on neck pain due to cervical spondylosis.

This article provides the possible mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion repair of gastric mucosal injury from central regulation and puts it forward that the nucleus of solitary tract is the primary regulation center for the injury repair and has the effect of collecting and integrating information. In addition, it is put forward that neural regulation is a main regulatory mechanism for the injury repair and besides, endocrine, immune and humoral regulations participates in the modulation and gastric mucosal repair involves a composite regulatory mechanism in which the central nervous system, neuroendocrine-immune network and neurohumoral regulation take part.

Objective To investigate the effect of skull acupuncture on cerebral infarct volume and plasma SOD activity and MDA and NO contents. Method Forty-eight male SPF-grade SD rats were randomized into sham operation, model and skull acupuncture groups. A rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was made by intraluminal thread occlusion. Rat nerve function was assessed by Zea Longa neurological function scoring. Rat cerebral infarct volume was measured by TTC staining. Plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) contents were measured by colorimetry. Result Rat neurobehavioral score was significantly lower on day 1, 3 and 7 in the model group than in the sham operation group (P<0.01). TTC measurement showed that cerebral infarct volume was significantly smaller in the skull acupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.01). Plasma SOD activity was lower and MDA and NO contents were higher in the model group than in the sham operation group (all P<0.01). Plasma SOD activity increased and MDA and NO contents decreased after skull acupuncture treatment compared with the model group (all P<0.01). Conclusion Skull acupuncture has a protective effect against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury and can increase plasma SOD activity and decrease plasma MDA and NO contents in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Objective To investigate the effect of suspended moxa stick moxibustion on points Shenshu(BL23) and Guanyuan(CV4) on the pituitary-adrenal axis and the pituitary-thyroid axis in rats with kidney yang deficiency. Method A rat model of corticosterone kidney yang deficiency was made by intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone. The rats were randomized into model control and moxibustion treatment groups. A blank control group was set up. The moxibustion treatment group received suspended moxa stick moxibustion on points Shenshu and Guanyuan 20 min once daily, for a total of 14 times. After the completion of treatment, serum CORT, ACTH, T3, T4 and TSH contents were measured by ELISA and pituitary expressions of ACTH and TSH mRNA were determined by RT-PCR. Result There was no significant difference in serum CORT (P>0.05), there were significant differences in serum ACTH, T4 and TSH and pituitary ACTH and TSH mRNA (P<0.05) and there was a very significant difference in serum T3 (P<0.01) between the moxibustion treatment and model control groups. There were no significant differences in the above indicators between the moxibustion treatment and blank control groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Suspended moxa stick moxibustion on points Shenshu and Guanyuan produces a therapeutic effect on rat kidney yang deficiency by decreasing serum TSH content, down-regulating pituitary TSH mRNA expression, increasing serum ACTH, T3 and T4 contents and up-regulating pituitary ACTH mRNA expression.

Objective To investigate the effect of hand twelve Jing-Well points bloodletting on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in the early stage of focal cerebral ischemic injury in rats with permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). Method Male Wister rats were randomized into sham operation, model and bloodletting groups. A model of middle cerebral artery occlusion was made by Longa's method. 2%Evans blue (EB) was injected into the caudal vein at three time points:5, 24 and 72 hrs after model making. EB exudation amount was assessed by measurement of EB absorbance in brain tissue to observe BBB permeability. Result Cerebral EB exudation amount was significantly higher in the model group of rats than in the sham operation group (P<0.01) and significantly lower in the bloodletting group than in the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion Hand twelve Jing-Well points bloodletting can reduce blood-brain barrier permeability in pMCAO rats. Its effect is highly significant at 24 and 72 hrs after ischemia.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine and liquid wax in treating oral apatinib-induced hand-foot syndrome. Method Thirty patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, who had developed hand-foot syndrome after oral administration of apatinib for four weeks, with grade 0 in 3 cases, grade Ⅰ in 16 cases, grade Ⅱ in 9 cases and grade Ⅲ in 2 cases, were enrolled and treated by external application of Chinese herbal medicine and liquid wax on both hands and feet for three weeks. Result The 30 patients with hand-foot syndrome had grade 0 in 14 cases, grade Ⅰ in 14 cases, grade Ⅱ in 2 cases and grade Ⅲ in 0 case after treatment with Chinese herbal medicine and liquid wax. There was a definite therapeutic effect and a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusion External application of Chinese herbal medicine and liquid wax on both hands and feet for hand-foot syndrome not only has a definite therapeutic effect but is also an ideal means of prevention and treatment because of its noninvasive procedure and the high compliance of the patients.

Objective To investigate the effect of indirect gentle moxibustion on serum IL-1 and TNF-?contents in patients with knee osteoarthritis and explore the mechanism of its action. Method A randomized controlled trial was conducted according to the patient's condition. Besides acupuncture as basic treatment, the treatment group received indirect gentle moxibustion and the control group, thermotherapy plus cupping. Pre-treatment and post-treatment serum IL-1 and TNF-?contents and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were analyzed in the patients and compared between the two groups. Result There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in serum IL-1 and TNF-? contents and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score in the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, serum IL-1 and TNF-?contents and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score were lower in the treatment group than in the control group. Conclusion Indirect gentle moxibustion can effectively decrease serum IL-1 and TNF-?contents in patients with knee osteoarthritis. That provides a certain molecular cytobiological and bio tissue engineering basis for the mechanism of its action in reducing inflammatory stimulation.

Objective To observe the real-time and short-term therapeutic efficacies of fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, and compare the two treatment methods. Method Eighty-four patients with cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity were randomized into a fire-needle acupuncture group and a warm needling group, 42 cases in each group. The two groups received treatment once a day, respectively for 10 sessions. The symptoms, functions and total score were evaluated by adopting the modified Cervical Vertigo Symptoms and Functions Assessment Scale before the second treatment session and after 10 treatment sessions; the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated based on the traditional Chinese medicine symptoms scale. Result The scores after 10 treatment sessions were significantly different from that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05);before the 2nd treatment session, the improvements of the symptoms and total scores in the fire-needle acupuncture group were more significant than that in the warm needling group (P<0.05);after 10 sessions, there were significant differences in comparing the symptoms, functions and total scores between the two groups (P<0.05);the clinical control rate was 26.2%and total effective rate was 95.2%in the fire-needle acupuncture group, versus 9.5%and 90.5%in the warm needling group, and there was a significant difference in comparing the therapeutic efficacy between the two groups. Conclusion Fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling both are effective in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, while fire-needle acupuncture can improve the vertigo symptoms in a real-time manner, and its short-term therapeutic efficacy is also superior to that of warm needling.

Objective To observe the therapeutic efficacy of fire-needle acupuncture in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. Method Sixty subjects were randomized into two groups by using the sealed envelope method. The control group was intervened by conventional medications; after classified into four syndrome types, down diffusion of damp-heat, liver qi stagnation, turbid stagnation and kidney qi deficiency, the treatment group was majorly treated with fire-needle acupuncture in addition to filiform-needle acupuncture. Fire-needle acupuncture was performed at Guanyuan (CV4), Qugu (CV2) and bilateral Dahe (KI12), once a week, for continuous 6 months; the filiform-needle acupuncture was majorly at Baihui (GV20) and Qihai (CV6) with adjunctive points modified according to different syndromes, twice a week, 8 sessions as a treatment course, for 5 courses in total. Result The improved rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05);the residual urine volume was significantly changed after the intervention in both groups (P<0.01), and the decrease in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Fire-needle acupuncture can improve the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and lower the residual urine volume.

Objective Taking sham electroacupuncture as control, to observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture in treating female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Method By using central random design, the eligible subjects were randomized into an electroacupuncture group of 42 cases [electroacupuncture at Zhongliao (BL33) and Huiyang (BL35)] and a sham group of 42 cases [sham electroacupuncture at points beside Zhongliao and Huiyang]. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by observing the urine leakage volume in the 1-h pad test and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Result In the electroacupuncture group, the urine leakage volumes in the 4th, 6th, 20th, and 32nd treatment week were significantly lower than that before treatment (P<0.05);the decreases of urine leakage volume in the electroacupuncture group were more significant than that in the sham group in the 4th, 6th, 20th, and 32nd treatment week (P<0.05). In the electroacupuncture group, the ICIQ-SF scores in the 4th, 6th, 20th, and 32nd treatment week were significantly lower than that before treatment (P<0.05); the ICIQ-SF scores were significantly lower in the electroacupuncture group than in the sham group in the 4th, 6th, 20th, and 32nd treatment week (P<0.05). Conclusion Electroacupuncture can effectively improve urine leakage and other urinary symptoms in SUI.