BACKGROUND: Direct observation of infarcted microvaseular perfusion after cerebral infarction is the most immediate evidence in evaluation of therapeutic effects.OBJECTIVE: To observe dynamic changes in flowing quality and field in cerebral ischemic area in rats so as to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the microvascular state in pia matral encephali ischemic area and the changes of associated leukocytic flowing velocity and flowing morphology.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment was designed.SETTING: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion of General Hospital Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Research Room of Microcirculation of General Hospital Chinese PLA, in which, 120 female Wis tar rats of 2-month old were employed and randomized into acupuncture group (36 rats), model group (36 rats), sham-operation group (36 rats) and normal group (12 rats). The first 3 groups were subdivided in 3 hours, 6hours and 24 hours groups according to the prescriptive time divisions, 12rats in each group.METHODS: In acupuncture and model groups, after abdominal anesthesia with pentobarbital sodium, the cranium was opened and the occlusion of meddle cerebral artery was performed in cerebrum with heat-coagulation method. In sham-operation group, anesthesia and cranium opening were performed, but the meddle cerebral artery was not occluded. In normal group, no any management was performed. In acupuncture group, 60 minutes after occlusion of meddle cerebral artery in cerebrum, needling was given on Renzhong (GV 26) and Neiguan (PC 6) with electric stimulation of disperse-dense wave, 4-10 Hz frequency and 0.4 V of intensity, lasting for 5 minutes. Afterwards, pecking-acupuncture technique was done on Renzhong (GV 26) to achieve strong stimulation for 10 seconds. In shamoperation and model groups, the rats were in process of grasping and fixation, but acupuncture was not applied. Vascular endotheliocyte fluorescence staining and leukocyte fluorescence tracing method were applied, in combination with microscopic video system and computer imaging analyzing system, to observe in dynamic and quantitatively the influences of acupuncture on pia matral encephali microvascular morphology, density and blood flowing velocity at 3 hours, 6 hours and 24 hours after cerebral occlusion of meddle cerebral artery.morphology, density and blood flowing state at various time divisions observed directly microscopically and vascular endotheliocyte morphology and the state of brain tissue which near the microvascular after infusion with velocity in infarcted area at various time divisions measured in quantity in each group.microvascular endotheliocytes were colored worse and more fluorescent exudation appeared. Those were better remarkably in acupuncture group ty: That in model group was lower than normal group. That at 3 hours, 6hours and 24 hours in acupuncture group was higher remarkably than model group [(6.92±0.42), (3.25±0.52) pces/visual field; (7.61 ±0.51),(3.68±0.32) pces/visual field; (8.24±0.72), (5.49±1.2) pces/visual leukocyte velocity: That in model group was lower remarkably in normal group. That at 3 hours, 6 hours and 24 hours in acupuncture group was higher remarkably than model group [(1 193±358), (600±261) μm/s;(1 112±267), (517±115) μm/s, (1 766±293), (611±291) μm/s, q=4.608.28, P ＜ 0.01].CONCLUSION: At early stage of cerebral infarction, broken blood flow is severe in artery, vein and capillary in ischemic area; the numbers of opened vessels are few, flow rate is slow down and cerebral perfusion is unsatisfactory. Acupuncture amaliorate the microcirculation perfusion state in ischemic area, increases the numbers of opened vessels and improves flowing morphology of blood cell.

Insomnia has become a threat to public health, and acupuncture has shown an advantage in treatment of insomnia with good efficacy and few side effects.

To facilitate actualizing the national standard Standardized Manipulation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Part X, Thread-Embedding and answer some questions that may arise during practice, overall ideas and principles, the process and basis for its establishment, the main contents and their related research results, especially some disputed questions and the way to solve, as well as the end-results are explained in detail in this paper.
Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; standards ; China ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; methods ; standards

Objectives:To evaluate essential medicines accessibility from the availability, drug price level and affordability perspective in Beijing. Methods:Data was collected from a sample of a Beijing social security database on diabetes in 2013 and a field research on 4 primary healthcare institutions. The essential medicine equipping rate, medium price ratio ( MPR) and poverty-inducing effect were selected as accessibility indicators. Results:Among 21 sample drugs, the nitrendipine, magnesium sulfate, sodium nitroprusside, prazosin, phentolamine and glyburide e-quipping rates are less than 15%. The 9 sample drugs MPR varied from 1. 3 to 27. 4. The hypertension, hyper-lipemia and diabete poverty-inducing rate varied from 0. 44% to 0. 70% in urban areas, and varied from 1. 17% to 1. 88% in rural areas. Conclusion:Some essential medicines in Beijing are equipped with a very low rate, but have a high price level, and the poverty-inducing population is large. We recommend strengthening the monitoring of es-sential medicines accessibility and introducing appropriate supporting policies.

OBJECTIVETo observe the improving effect of scalp point penetration needling on sleep quality and sleep structure for insomnia patients.

METHODSSixty-six cases of insomnia were randomly divided into a scalp point penetration needling group (observation group, 32 cases) and a routine acupuncture group (control group, 34 cases). The observation group was treated with Houshencong (EX-HN 1) penetrating to Qianshencong (EX-HN 1) and Xinhui (GV 22) penetrating to Shenting (GV 24) etc.; Baihui (GV 20), Anmian (EX- HN 22) and Neiguan (PC 6) etc. were selected in control group. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and micro-sensitive mattress sleep monitoring system were used to observe the sleep quality and sleep structure of the patients before and after treatment, respectively.

RESULTSThe completely improved rate of the sleep quality of 65. 6%(21/32)in observation group was superior to that of 35.3 (12/34) in control group (P < 0.05). There were significant differences between two groups in latency of falling asleep, total time of sleep, time of deep sleep stage and more than 5 min awakening times of sleep structure after treatment (all P < 0. 01), the observation group was superior to control group.

CONCLUSIONThe scalp point penetration needling has more significant effects for improving the sleep quality and sleep structure of insomnia patients than the routine needling.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Scalp ; Sleep ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Young Adult

HPLC-ELSD was applied to explore the absorption mechanism of pulchinenosides (B3, BD, B7, B10, B11) in rats. The experimental results showed that the absorption rate constant, Ka value (B3, BD) and Permeability coefficient, Peff value (B3, B7) displayed significant difference (P <0.05) in various intestinal segments, The Ka value and Peff value of PRS was different from each other with the highest absorption in duodenum (duodenum > jejunum > colon > ileum); The PRS displayed excessive satuation as the concentration increased over 0.05-2.5 g · L(-1). There were no obvious linear correlations between Peff values and concentrations in duodenum (0.6007 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.7727); Ka and Peff value declined when the PRS was perfused with P-glycoprotein promoter digoxin, on the other hand, inclined when perfused with P-glycoprotein inhibitor verapamil with significant difference among PRS B3, BD, B7, B11 (P <0.05). All the above results demonstrated that B3, BD, B7 were greatly influenced by absorption sites, duodenum was the main absorption site; PRS didn't entirely transported in a concentration dependent manner, and the transporter-protein involved the transportation, so the intestinal absorption of the five pulchinenosides was not entirely passive diffusion; and PRS might be the substrates of P-glycoprotein.
ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; physiology ; Animals ; Intestinal Absorption ; Male ; Oleanolic Acid ; pharmacokinetics ; Pulsatilla ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saponins ; pharmacokinetics

OBJECTIVETo compare the immediate effect of moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) on body surface thermograph between the patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and healthy people.

METHODSThirty-five cases of MPS were selected in observation group and 15 cases of healthy people were in control group. ATIR-M301 medical infrared imaging device was used to observe the changes in body surface thermograph before and 15 min after moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) The qualitative analysis of picture pattern and the quantitative analysis of temperature were integrated to compare the differences between two groups.

RESULTSConcerning to the infrared thermograph expression on the back of MPS cases in observation group, the abnormal thermal zone presented in 88.6% of the cases, mostly distributed in the upper and secondly in the lower back. The spinal thermal line was broken or disappeared ine about 50% of cases. The location of pain complained by 71.4% of cases was coincident with the zone of infrared thermograph expression. There was statistical significant difference in the temperatures difference of the two sides in the upper abnormal thermal zone on the back in observation group as compared with control group (P < 0.001). Body surface thermograph on the back were impacted by moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) for either MPS patients or healthy people, especially in upper back and rhomboid fossa. Moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) increased much more apparently the temperature on the upper back in MPS patients as compared with healthy people (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB34) brings the immediate improvements in the back thermograph for MPS patients.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Body Temperature ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Thermography ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protection effects of electroacupuncture on injury of lipid peroxidation induced by liver ischemia in septic rats.

METHODSForty-eight male SD rats were subjected to sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and were randomly divided into a Sham operation group (group A), a CLP model group (group B), a CLP model plus electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) group (group C), a CLP model plus electroacupuncture at the shame acupoint (group D), a vagotomy plus CLP model group (group E) and CLP model plus electroacupuncture group after vagotomy (group F), 8 rats in each group. CLP was performed in group E and group F after the abdominal vagotomy. Bilateral "Zusanli"(ST 36) points and the shame acupoint were electroacupunctured (2 mA, 2/100 Hz) for 1 hour in group C, group F and group D, respectively. The hepatic blood flow (HBF) was detected by a laser-Doppler flowmetry at 6 h after CLP. The plasma activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was also determined and specimens of liver were harvested for evaluation of malondialdehyde (MDA), xanthine oxidase (XOD) and assessment of the rate of water content.

RESULTSThe blood flow of the liver was (56.97 +/- 11.95) U in group C which was significantly lower than (80.12 +/- 19.57) U in group A but higher than (42.61 +/- 10.97) U in group B, (44.53 +/- 9.23) U in group D, (30.05 +/- 4.46) U in group E and (30.46 +/- 6.38) U in group F (all P < 0.05) 6 h after CLP. Meanwhile, the levels of MDA, XOD, ALT and the rates of water content in liver in group C were all significantly higher than those in group A, but lower than those in the other four groups (all P < 0.05). The levels of MDA, XOD, ALT and the rates of water content in liver in group E and group F were all significantly higher than those in group D (all P < 0.05), while the blood flow of the liver lower than that in group D (P < 0.05), and with no significant differences in all above measurements between group E and group F (all P > 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) can promote hepatic blood flow, inhibit lipid peroxidation and alleviate hepatic edema and dysfunction in septic rats, which might be related with the completeness of cranial nerve.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver Circulation ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Xanthine Oxidase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor on the neuronal apoptosis in ischemia-reperfusion region (IRR) of rat cerebral cortex.

METHODSRats prepared by middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion were used as the research model. The animals were divided into A group (untreated), B group (DMSO control) and C group (treated with z-DEVD-fmk). Before reperfusion, z-DEVD-fmk (7 microg/kg) was injected into the ischemic side of ventriculus cerebri of C group rats. The expression and activation of caspase-3, expression and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and apoptotic neurons in the temporal-parietal cortex IRRs (SPAB method) of all the rats were studied using Western blotting, in situ apoptotic detection (TUNEL method) and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSIn the cerebral IRRs of A, B, C groups reperfused for 1 h and 24 h, the quantities of caspase-3 precursor were 16.7 +/- 3.0, 11.5 +/- 3.0 and 47.5 +/- 3.5, and 76.1 +/- 3.5, 71.3 +/- 6.4 and 88.2 +/- 5.5, respectively; the caspase-3 fragments (12,000) 8.2 +/- 2.3, 9.4 +/- 1.2 and 4.3 +/- 1.6, and 59.0 +/- 6.3, 60.5 +/- 7.2 and 17.3 +/- 2.8, respectively; the PARP 12.6 +/- 3.0, 13.9 +/- 2.0 and 53.7 +/- 4.1, and 67.5 +/- 8.6, 61.1 +/- 6.6 and 93.6 +/- 4.1, respectively; the PARP fragments (24,000) 6.0 +/- 0.7, 6.6 +/- 1.2, 3.6 +/- 1.1, and 27.4 +/- 2.6, 25.8 +/- 3.2, 12.1 +/- 2.8 (relative quantity, x+/- s); the densities of apoptotic neurons 83.3 +/- 7.5, 84.3 +/- 5.7 and 45.7 +/- 4.0, and 197.4 +/- 11.8, 185.2 +/- 11.2 and 99.1 +/- 5.8 (cell number/0.1 mm(2), x+/- s). These results showed that in the cerebral IRRs of both A and B groups, all caspase-3 expression and activation, PARP expression and cleavage, and neuronal apoptosis were increased relevantly along with prolongation of the reperfusion time (P < 0.05 - 0.001). At each time point of the reperfusion, caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage and neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral IRR of C group were significantly less than those of the former two groups (P < 0.05 - 0.001). The variations of the 5 parameters of A, B and C groups correlated positively with one another (r = 0.630 - 0.942, P < 0.01). The cells expressing PARP were mainly neurons in the cerebral IRRs of all the animals, but the difference of their number was not distinct among the 3 groups.

CONCLUSIONSIt is an important mechanism resulting in apoptosis of the injured neurons in the cerebral IRR that caspase-3 expression and activation abnormally increased by the reperfusion have more PARP rapidly inactivated by over-cleavage. z-DEVD-fmk may decrease PARP cleavage by inhibiting activity and auto-activation of caspase-3, and prevent the injured neurons from apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase Inhibitors ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; complications ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Oligopeptides ; pharmacology ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the relationship between C-V curve of the source points of 12 channels and cold Eighty patients with cold or heat syndrome were examined with Cowital Human Meor heat syndrome.

METHODSridian Diagnosing and Analyzing System, which can achieve quantitative analysis on C-V curve from the source points of 12 channels, and additional 40 healthy people were used as control group.

RESULTSThe relationship is close between the curvature of the C-V curves of the source points of the meridians and cold-heat syndromes of meridians. The greater is curvature of the C-V curves, the heater is the meridian, the smaller is curvature of the C-V curves, the colder is the meridian. At the same time it is discovered that the curvature of C-V curve has obviouse relationship with cold-heat property of meridians.

CONCLUSIONThe method can be used to set up and perfect the syndrome differentiation with cold-heat principle of meridian. Offer scientific basis for selecting acupoints, reducing-rein forcing methods and treatment means in clinical acupunction treatment.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cold Temperature ; Female ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies