ObjectiveTo investigate the clinicalefficacy of warm needling plus Chinese herb fumigation in treating plantar fasciitis.MethodSixty-one patients with plantar fasciitis were randomly allocated to a treatment group of 31 cases and a control group of 30 cases. The treatment group receivedwarm needling plus Chinese herb fumigation and the control group, warm needling alone.ResultThe total efficacy rate and the cure rate were 100.0% and 61.3%, respectively, in the treatment group and 96.7%and 40.0%, respectively, in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in the total efficacy rate between the two groups (P>0.05), but the cure rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in the VAS score in the two groups (P<0.01), indicating that both the groups had a good analgesic effect. There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in the VAS score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.01), indicating that theanalgesic effect was better in the treatment group than in the control group.ConclusionThe efficacy of warm needling plus Chinese herb fumigation is better than that of warm needling alone in treating plantar fasciitis.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint application in canicular days plus TDP radiation in treating primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-dampness.Method Eighty-three patients were randomized into group A of 32 cases, group B of 20 cases, and group C of 31 cases. Group A was intervened by acupoint application plus TDP, group B was by acupoint application alone, while group C was by oral administration ofTong Jing Bao granules. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores of the three groups were observed before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result The total effective rate was 93.1% in group A, versus 85.0% in group B and 77.4% in group C. The total effective rate of group A was significantly different from that of group B and group C (P<0.05). The total effective rate of group B was significantly different from that of group C (P<0.05). The VAS scores were changed significantly after treatment in the three groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores of group A and B were both significantly different from that of group C (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupoint application plus TDP is an effective method in treating primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-dampness.

OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular mechanism of wenban humai granule (WHG) in stabilizing atheromatous plaque, by observing its effect on the collagen degradation and synthesis imbalance manner in the fibrous cap of the plaque.

METHODSAtherosclerosis (AS) rabbit model established by feeding high fat diet. The changes of protein and mRNA expression of macrophage CD68, metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen I (C-I) in model rabbits' neo-genesic intima were determined by immunohistochemical stain and in situ hybridization methods before and after treatment as well as before and after modeling.

RESULTSAfter being fed with high fat diet for 7 weeks, the protein and mRNA expression of macrophage CD68, MMP-1 in neo-genesic intima of aorta in the model rabbits significantly increased, these changes could be significantly restored after 8 weeks treatment with WHG or simvastatin. At the same time, the expressions of alpha-SMA protein and C-I protein and mRNA slightly increased due to the immigration of SMC in aortic media to neo-genesic intima, these expressions could be further increased after WHG treatment but showed a reducing trend after simvastatin treatment (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). In the whole course, positive correlation was shown between protein expressions of CD68 and MMP-1 (r = 0.952, P < 0.01) and also between these of alpha-SMA and C-I (r = 0.793, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONWHG affects the collagen degradation and synthesis imbalance in the fibrous cap of the plaque to stabilize plaque through bi-directional regulation, up-regulating synthesis thesis factors and down-regulating degradation factors, while simvastatin perform its action on plaque stability by down-regulating degradation factors alone.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Aorta ; pathology ; Arteriosclerosis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Macrophages ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation