OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODSTwenty-six cases with mild-moderate AD were divided into an acupoint catgut implantation group and a control group by sample-paired method. The acupoint catgut implantation group were treated with cat-gut implantation at Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40) and Taixi (KI 3), and the control group with the same manipulation at the same acupoints with no catgut implanted, once each month, for 6 months. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Activity of Daily Living (ADL) and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Section (ADAS-Cog) scores were recorded before and after treatment and analyzed statistically.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the score of MMSE significantly increased (P < 0.01), the score of ADAS-Cog significantly decreased (P < 0.01) and the score of ADL did not significantly change in the acupoint catgut implantation group; compared with the control group, the score of MMSE in the acupoint catgut implantation significantly increased (P < 0.01), the score of ADAS-Cog significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and the score of ADL did not significantly change in the acupoint catgut implantation.

CONCLUSIONAcupoint catgut implantation therapy increases cognitive function of the patient of AD, which provides a new therapeutic method for aged AD.

Activities of Daily Living ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; psychology ; therapy ; Catgut ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo probe into an effective therapy for chronic pain of cervical intervertebral disc.

METHODSSixty-six cases of chronic pain of cervical intervertebral disc were randomly divided into an acupoint sticking group and an acu puncture group, 33 cases in each group. The acupoint sticking group was treated with acupoint sticking therapy, and the acupuncture group with acupuncture. Tianding (LI 17), Futu (LI 18), Dazhui (GV 14), Tianzong (S 11), etc. were selected in the two groups. After treatment for 3 therapeutic courses, their therapeutic effects were observed.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 93.5% in the acupoint sticking group and 72.4% in the acupuncture group, the former being better than the latter (P<0.05); in a 3-month following-up survey, the effective rate was 90.3% in the acupoint sticking group and 65.5% in the acupuncture group, the former being better than the latter (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupoint sticking therapy has an satisfactory therapeutic effect on chronic pain of cervical intervertebral disc.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Administration, Cutaneous ; Adult ; Aged ; Back Pain ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Cervical Vertebrae ; drug effects ; Chronic Disease ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo search for an effective method for treatment of prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.

METHODSNinety-four cases were randomly divided into a treatment group of 48 cases and a control group of 46 cases. The treatment group were treated by acupuncture and moxibustion combined with sacral injection and the control group with simple sacral injection. Their therapeutic effects were compared.

RESULTSThe cured and total effective rates were 64.6% and 97.9% in the treatment group, and 37.0% and 89.1% in the control group, with statistically significant differences between the two groups (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and moxibustion combined with sacral injection has a significant therapeutic effect on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.

Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Moxibustion ; Prolapse

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of acupoint thread embedding (ATE) in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) by means of brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

METHODSTwenty-six patients with mild to moderate AD were assigned to the tested group and the control group in pairing, 13 in each group. ATE was performed in patients of the tested group at Shenmen (HT7), Fenglong (ST40), Taixi (KI3) and Zusanli (ST36) acupoints, once every month for 6 times in total; but for patients of the control group only sham operation was done at the same acupoints. The correlation between cognitive ability and fMRI were assessed by comparing the scores of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Alzhemer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive section (ADAS-Cog), monitored at two time points, namely, in one week before starting treatment and 1 week after terminating 6-month treatment. Furthermore, fMRI was detected to obtain the data of the cerebral blood oxygen content before treatment and 6 months after completing the 6-month therapeutic course. Correlation analysis was conducted on the obtained data using software SPM.

RESULTSAfter treatment, changes of MMSE score significently increased in the test group (P < 0.01) and decreased in the control group (P < 0.01), and ADAS-Cog decreased in the test group (P < 0.01) and increased in the control group (P < 0.05), showing statistical significance between the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The activated regions related with the change of MMSE were mainly inferior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, on the left cerebrum and superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, hippocampal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, postcentral gyrus, paracentral lobule on the right cerebrum; those related with change of ADAS-Cog were superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, hippocampal gyrus on the left cerebrum, and superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, fusiform gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, middle occipital gyrus on the right cerebrum.

CONCLUSIONATE could improve the cognitive ability of AD patients, its possible mechanism may be through the activation on the cognition related regions of frontal, temporal lobe and marginal system, as well as those of cerebellum.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Catgut ; Cognition ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Male ; Radiography

0.05)between the two groups.Conclu- sion The long-term outcomes of e-CHB is not markedly different compared with that of e+CHB.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of acupuncture at the whole points of Hand Jueyin pericardium meridian on the amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of healthy people in resting state (R1) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

METHODSTotally 16 healthy subjects received structure scan of T1 and T2. Then two fMRI scans were conducted for each participant. fMRI included the resting-state scan (R1; the scanning time was 8 min 6 s), the stimulating-acupoint scan (AP; the scanning time was 8 min 6 s). fMRI data acquisition from structure scanning and function scanning were processed with format conversion and statistical analysis.

RESULTSUnder R1 state, brain regions with activated ALFF signals included bilateral superior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, precuneus, superior temporal gyrus, and cingulate gyrus. Under the AP state, brain regions with activated ALFF signals were bilateral superior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, precuneus, posterior cingulate, and declivis. Compared with R1 state, obvious difference of ALFF signal areas of the brain caused by acupuncture at pericardium were: bilateral cuneus, precuneus, left posterior cingulate gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, and right occipital lingual gyrus.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at the whole points of Hand Jueyin pericardium meridian could significantly change inherent activity states of the cerebral cortex, especially in bilateral superior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, and precuneus.

Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Points ; Brain ; physiology ; Brain Mapping ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Pericardium

OBJECTIVETo observe amplitude changes of low frequency fluctuation in brain spontaneous nervous activities induced by needling at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel, and to preliminarily explore the possible brain function network of Hand Taiyin Lung Channel.

METHODSBy using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 16 healthy volunteers underwent resting-state scanning (R1) and scanning with retained acupuncture at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel (acupuncture, AP). Data of fMRI collected were statistically calculated using amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF).

RESULTSUnder R1 significantly enhanced ALFF occurred in right precuneus, left inferior parietal lobule, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, left medial frontal gyrus. Under AP significantly enhanced ALFF occurred in right precuneus, bilateral superior frontal gyrus, cerebellum, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus, and so on. Compared with R1, needing at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel could significantly enhance ALFF in right gyrus subcallosum and right inferior frontal gyrus. Significant decreased ALFF appeared in right postcentral gyrus, left precuneus, left superior temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, and so on.

CONCLUSIONNeeding at Hand Taiyin Lung Channel could significantly change fixed activities of cerebral cortex, especially in right subcallosal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, and so on.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Brain ; physiology ; Brain Mapping ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of Naomaitong on inflammatory cascade response after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion in aged rats.

METHODWe duplicated focal cerebral ischemia model with MCAO, with ischemia 3 h and I/R 1, 3, 6, 12 d points. The effect of Naomaitong on the nervous dysfunction score, the water content of cerebral constitution and the expression of TNF-alpha, VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and its mRNA were observed, and the group with nimodipine was as control.

RESULTThe nervous dysfunction score (I/R1, 3, 6 d), the water content of cerebral constitution (all the time points), the expression of TNF-alpha, VCAM-1 (I 3 h, I/R 1, 3, 6 d), ICAM-1 (I 3 h,I/R 1, 3, 6 d) and its Mrna (all the time points) in model group were higher than those of the sham-operated group; The nervous dysfunction score, the water content of cerebral constitution (I/R 3, 6, 12 d), the expression of TNF-alpha, VCAM-1 (I 3 h, I/R 1, 3 d), ICAM-1 and its mRNA (I 3 h, I/R 1, 3 d) in model group were decreased compared with that of model group. The nervous dysfunction score (I/R 6, 12 d), the expression of TNF-alpha, ICAM-1 (I/R 1d) and its mRNA (I/R 1, 3 d) in Naomaitong group were higher than that of Nimodipine group.

CONCLUSIONNaomaitong could protect brain cell from damage after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury by inhibiting the expression of TNF-alpha, adhesion molecule.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; chemically induced ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Male ; Neuroprotective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo search the mechanism of Huaisanzhen in treating the nerve root pain caused by protrusion of lumbar intervertebra disc.

METHODSSixty male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, a sham operation control group, a model control group, an aspirin-DL-lysine control group, a routine body acupuncture group, and a Huaisanzhen treatment group. The aspirin-DL-lysine control group, the routine body acupuncture group and the Huaisanzhen treatment group were treated by aspirin-DL-lysine through intramuscular injection, routine acupuncture and Huaisanzhen therapy, respectively. The pain threshold and the content of brain 5-HT in each group were determined.

RESULTSThe pain threshold significantly increased in the Huaisanzhen treatment group as compared with that in the model control group at the same hour points (P < 0.05). And at the 30 min, the pain threshold in the aspirin-DL-lysine control group and the routine body acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the model control group, and the Huaisanzhen treatment group was significantly higher than that in the aspirin-DL-lysine control group and the routine body acupuncture group (all P < 0.05). The 5-HT contents at the same time in the Huaisanzhen treatment group were higher than those of the model control group and the aspirin-DL-lysine control group (P < 0.01). The 5-HT content at 30 min in the Huaisanzhen treatment groups was significantly higher than that of the routine body acupuncture group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe analgesic effect of Huaisanzhen treatment is closely related to increase of 5-HT content in the brain.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; methods ; Animals ; Brain Chemistry ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; complications ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Pain Threshold ; Radiculopathy ; therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Serotonin ; analysis

AIMTo observe redox modulation of ion channel in trigeminal ganglion neurons by oxidants and reducing agents.

METHODSThe effects of oxidants and reducing agents on maxi-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel in cultured rat trigeminal ganglion neurons by using whole-cell patch-clamp technique.

RESULTSMethionine-specific oxidant chloramine-T (Ch-T) 1 mmol/L slightly increased the current amplitude and this enhancement did not antagonized by DTT. In contrast, cysteine-specific reagent 5, 5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) 500 micromol/L significantly decreased current amplitude of BK(Ca) channels. The effect was reversed by the reducing agent 2 mmol/L 1, 4-dithio-DL-threitol (DTT).

CONCLUSIONReactive oxygen species were definitely involved in regulation of native neuronal function via redox modulation of BK(Ca) channels, which are suggested to play compensatory roles under oxidative stress-related conditions.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; physiology ; Male ; Neurons ; metabolism ; physiology ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; cytology ; physiology