Objective To observe the mechanism of herbal cake separated moxibustion to hyperlipemia (HLP) and atherosclerosis (AS) rabbits on cell and molecular level. Method 75 rabbits were divided into 5 groups randomly:blank group, model group of HLP and AS, direct moxibustion group, herbal cake separated moxibustion group, herb group, 15 rabbits each group. Model rabbits of HLP and AS were built by immunity injury method. The expression of VCAM-1 mRNA and E-sel mRNA were determined with the method of RT-PCR. Results The expression of E-sel mRNA in herbal cake separated moxibustion group, direct moxibustion group and herb group are obviously decreased (P

DSP. Conclusion The effect of EA-DSP treating myocardial ischemia is better than EA and DSP. EA-DSP group brought about the optimal effect. Electroacupuncture-PC6 of the hand-jueyin pericardium meridian has the satisfactory adjusted effect on CAD.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of bloodletting and cupping at Fengchi (GB 20) plus acupuncture in treating peripheral facial paralysis in acute stage.Method Sixty patients with peripheral facial paralysis in acute stage (disease duration ≤7 d) were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by bloodletting and cupping at Fengchi (GB 20) plus acupuncture, while the control group was treated with ordinary acupuncture. The two groups were treated once a day, 5 times a week, 2 weeks as a treatment course and 3 treatment courses in total. The House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve grading system was observed before and after the intervention, and the clinical efficacies in the two groups were compared. Result The total effective rate was 96.7% in the treatment group versus 93.3% in the control group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the H-B score between the two groups respectively after 2 and 3 treatment courses (P<0.05).Conclusion Bloodletting and cupping at Fengchi (GB 20) plus acupuncture is an effective approach in treating peripheral facial paralysis in acute stage.

This article systematic reviewed the recent ten years clinical research of acupuncture treatment and rehabilitation on hemiplegia after stroke.The curative effect of acupuncture treatment and rehabilitation on hemiplegia after stroke is certain,and also supported by subsequent clinical researches.At the same time,we found that there are some deficiencies.The author elaborated personal views of clinical research in the future.The main purpose is to review the clinical research progress and forecast of acupuncture treatment and rehabilitation on hemiplegia after stroke briefly.

The contents about the central action mechanisms of needling Zusanli (ST 36) were sorted by summarizing the relevant literatures published in the past 10 years, and it was found that: by comparing acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36), other acupoints or sham points, most studies showed that Zusanli (ST 36) had relatively specific characteristics in the brain function response; studies on the central action mechanisms of Zusanli (ST 36) were mainly focused on sequelae of cerebral apoplexy, pain, gastrointestinal diseases, weight loss and drug addiction withdrawal and so on; acupuncture manipulations, stimulation methods, individual differences, stimulation quantity, and stimulation duration, etc. could also induce different brain function responses; acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) had an after-working effect, also called long-term effect, but with poor repeatability. So, it was suggested that the future studies should focus on the factors that affect the clinical efficacies and experimental results, including the compatibility effects of the acupoints, reproducibility of research results, sample size, acupuncture methods, long-term effects and disease entities.

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST 36) and Fenglong (ST 40) in treating senile dementia. Methods:A total of74 patients were randomly divided into an EA group and a medication group based upon the random digital table, 37 cases in each group. EA at Zusanli (ST 36) and Fenglong (ST 40) was given in the EA group, once every day, for six treatments per week. Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets were given to the medication group, 5 mg per time and once a day in the former four weeks, 10 mg per time and once a day after 4 weeks, oral administration before sleep at night. The courses of the treatment were 12 weeks in both groups. The scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Barthel index (BI) were observed before and after the treatment, for processing the comparative analysis of the clinical effects after the course of the treatment. Results:The total effective rate was 86.5% in the EA group and 70.3% in the medication group. The therapeutic effect was better in the EA group than that in the medication group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). MMSE and BI scores after the treatment in the two groups were all elevated than those of the same groups before the treatment (P<0.05,P<0.01). The improving situation was obviously better in the EA group than that in the medication group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion:EA at Zusanli (ST 36) and Fenglong (ST 40) is affirmative in the therapeutic effect for senile dementia and can also improve the cognitive function and enhance the patients’ quality of life .

BACKGROUND: Endothelin and nitrogen monoxide (NO) which are regarded as a pair of factors to maintain equilibrium between vascular stress and hemodynamics have different responses during various diseases. It is the key point for the treatment of atherosclerosis to find out the effect and pathophysiological mechanism of hyperlipemia on endothelial cells, and seek the methods and drugs for protecting vascular endothelin.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of herbal cake-separated moxibustion on contents of plasma endothelin and NO and analyze its regulative mechanism.DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal study.SETTING: College of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.MATERIALS: A total of 60 healthy New Zealand white rabbits weighing 1.5-2.5 kg of both genders were selected in this study. Herbal cake was made of danshen, shanzha, yujin, dahuang and zexie, which were crushed into powder according to a certain ratio. Then, vinegar was added to make paste which was 5-8 mm in diameter and 2-3 mm in depth. Moxa cone:(Shenjiu 300) was provided by Suzhou Dongfang Airong Factory (type:Dongfang I; batch number: 20021212).METHODS: The experiment was carried out in the Experimental Animal Center of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between November 2003 and October 2004. All rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups: blank control group, hyperlipemia model group, direct moxibustion group and herbal cake-separated moxibustion group with 15 in each group. Except blank control group, rabbits in other three groups were fed with high fat forage to establish hyperlipemia models. Two groups of acupoints were acupunctured alternatively: Group Ⅰ: Juque (CV14), Tianshu (ST25) at bilateral sides, and Fenglong (ST 40) at bilateral sides; Group Ⅱ:Xinshu(BL15),Ganshu(BL18) and Pishu(BL20), at bilateral sides respectively.On the first day, moxa cone was directly adherent to acupoints of rabbits in direct moxibustion group and lighten for acupuncture, but in herbal cakeseparated moxibustion group, moxa cone which was gotten rid of the carriage was adherent to herbal cake which was put on acupoints and lighted for acupuncture. Each acupoint was acupunctured for 4 successive dosages for once a day. On the next day, the other group of acupoints was acupunctured.The course was 40 days. Rabbits in other two groups were not treated with any ways. On the 41st day, contents of plasma endothelin and NO were measured in each group with radio-immunity method and nitrate-reductase reduction method, respectively.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Contents of plasma endothelin and NO of rabbits after 40-day treatment.RESULTS: Five rabbits died because of diarrhoea or other reasons, including 2 in blank control group, 1 in model group, 1 in direct moxibustion group and 1 in herbal cake-separated moxibustion group. Therefore, 55 rabbits were involved in the final analysis. ① Content of plasma endothelin was lower in herbal cake-separated moxibustion group than that in model group [(431.57±63.68), (500.14±75.41) ng/L, P ＜ 0.05], but there was no significant difference between herbal cake-separated moxibustion group and direct moxibustion group [(431.57±63.68), (429.08±77.07) ng/L, P ＞ 0.05]. ② On NO content, there was an increasing tendency of model group ＜ blank group ＜ herbal cake-separated moxibustion group ＜ direct moxibustion, but there was no significant difference between any two groups [(27.17±16.55),(29.39±13.24), (30.24±20.25), (30.47±19.62) μmol/L, P ＞ 0.05].CONCLUSION: Effects of both two methods of moxibustion in the rabbits with hyperlipemia on content of endothelin are significant and similar, but there are no significant effects on NO content.

Objective To investigate the effect of pretreatment with electroacupuncture at point Neiguan(PC6) on CK and myocardial cell activity in rabbit myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and provide an experimental basis for a relatively specific relationship between pericardium meridian points and the heart. Methods Forty New Zealand big ear rabbits were randomly allocated to groups A, B, C, D and E, eight rabbits each. Group A was a sham operation group. Group B was an ischemia-reperfusion model group, in which the left anterior descending coronary artery was occlude for 30 min and reperfused for 60 min. In groups C, D and E, points Neiguan(PC6), Lieque(LU7) and Hegu(LI4) were separately given electroacupuncture stimulation, 20 min every day, at seven days before model making. Creatine kinase (CK) and myocardial formazan contents were compared between the groups. Results There were statistically significant differences in serum CK and myocardial formazan contents between group B, C, D or E and group A (P＜0.01, P＜0.05). There was a statistically significant differences in serum CK content between group C, D or E and group B (P＜0.01). There was a statistically significant differences in myocardial formazan content between groups C and B (P＜0.05). There were statistically significant differences in serum CK and myocardial formazan contents between group D or E and group C (P＜0.01, P＜0.05). Conclusion Electroacupuncture at point Neiguan(PC6) can reduce myocardial ischemia-reperfusion induced injury to myocardial cells to produce a protective effect on the heart.

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion on acupoints Zusanli (ST 36) and Liangmen (ST 31) on cell proliferation and cell apoptosis of gastric mucosa in rats with stress ulcer, investigatethe mechanism of moxibustion in promoting the repair of gastric mucosal injury at cellular and molecular levels. Methods: Sixty healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: the restraint control group, model group, moxibustion on acupoints group and moxibustion on non-acupoints group. Water immersion and restraint stress (WRS) was used to copy the stress ulcer model of rats, radio-immunoassay was used to detect the content of transforming growth factor (TGF-α), and S-P immunohistochemical assay was adopted to determine the HSP70 expression, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cell apoptosis index in gastric mucosa. Results: For the WRS-induced gastric ulcer model of rat,the gastric mucosal injury (gastric ulcer index, UI) was increased, the content of TGF-α was decreased, PCNA was also decreased, HSP70 expression and cell apoptosis index were all increased (P＜0.01). Moxibustion on acupoints Zusanli (ST 36) and Liangrnen (ST 31) could decrease UI, increase the content of TGF-α, promote the expression of PCNA and HSP70,decrease cell apoptosis index in gastric mucosa, with significant differences when compared with the model group and control group (P＜0.01). Conclusions: Moxibustion on acupoints Zusanli (ST 36) and Liangmen (ST 31) had protective effect on the gastric mucosa of stress ulcer, its mechanism may be promoting the TGF-α synthesis, stimulating cell proliferation in gastric mucosa and inhibiting cell apoptosis in gastric mucosa, and this process is related to the moxibustion-induced HSP70 expression.

Objective:To observe the effects of moxibustion pretreatment on Glutathione Peroxidase(GSH-Px),Superoxide Dismutase(SOD),and Malondialchehyche(MDA)in gastric mucosa of rats with stress ulcer,and to investigate the mechanism of moxibustion pretreatment preventing the oxidized injury of gastric mucosa.Methods:Forty-eight healthy SD rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups,namely control group,model group,acupoint moxibustion group,and non-acupoint moxibustion group.The ulcer model was developed by restraint and water immersion stress,Ulcer index(UI)was calculated with Guth method,and the contents of GSH-Px,and MDA and SOD activity in the gastric tissues were measured with chromatometry method.Results:Compared those in the model group and nonacupoint moxibustion group,moxibustion at Zusanli(ST 36)could decrease the UI(P<0.01)and MDA(P<0.05)contents,and increase the activity of GSH-Px(P<0.01)and SOD(P<0.05).Conclusion:Pretreatment of moxibustion at Zusanli(ST 36)could promote the recovery of gastric injury in rats induced by restraint and water immersion stress by enhancing the activity of GSH-Px and SOD,and lower MDA content.