Acupuncture Therapy ; Blood Pressure ; Humans ; Hypotension ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effects of acupuncture method of "Huoxue Sanfeng, Shugan Jianpi" (activating blood and eliminating wind, soothing liver and strengthening spleen) on morning blood pressure in patients with cerebral infraction combined with essential hypertension.

METHODSSixty-eight patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 34 cases in each one. The patients in the two groups were treated with acupuncture method of "Xingnao Kaiqiao" (consciousness-restoring resuscitation) and oral administration of nifedipine. In addition, patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture method of "Huoxue Sanfeng, Shugan Jianpi" that met the criteria of standard manipulation, in which bilateral Renying (ST 9), Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Taichong (LR 3) were selected. The treatment was given once a day, five times a week, for totally six weeks. The improvement and control rate of morning blood pressure in the two groups were observed.

RESULTS(1) After treatment, the morning blood pressures were decreased significantly in the two groups (all P < 0.05); after 15 treatments, the reduction of systolic pressure and diastolic pressure in the observation group was superior to that in the control group, but the difference was not significant (both P > 0.05); after 30 treatments, the reduction of systolic pressure and diastolic pressure in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group (both P < 0.05). (2) After 30 treatments, the control rate of morning blood pressure in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [82.4% (28/34) vs 58.8% (20/34), P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture method of "Huoxue Sanfeng, Shugan Jianpi", characterized with standard manipulation criteria, can effectively control morning blood pressure in patients with cerebral infraction combined with essential hypertension.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Cerebral Infarction ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spleen ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome

Neuregulin-1,a member of the epidermal growth factor family,plays an important role in the neuronal survival,development,migration,myelin formation,and synaptic plasticity and function. This article mainly summarized the structure and function of neuregulin1 and its neuroprotective roles in cerebral ischemia. Tne neuroprotective mechanisms of neuregulin-1 may include the inhibition of the early inflammatory response and apoptosis,and the regulation of the expression the neurotrophic factors.

Acupuncture therapy for regaining consciousness activates soreness, numbness, distention, heaviness, radiating and moving, electric shock and ant climbing sensations at the specific acupoints in the stroke patients. Radiating and moving sensations are the summary of needling sensations such as soreness, numbness and twitching presenting during lifting and thrusting manipulation. These sensations are the essential factors of the therapeutic effect of regaining consciousness. Radiating sensation refers to the conduction along meridians and radiation of soreness and numbness. Moving sensation refers to the local muscular twitching at acupoints and the involuntary movement of limbs, joints and the distal. Acupuncture at the specific acupoints achieves radiating and moving sensations for promoting the circulation in meridians, regulating qi and mind and balancing yin and yang in stroke patients. This therapy was introduced in the paper in view of acupoint location, needle insertion and manipulation.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Consciousness ; Humans ; Meridians ; Needles ; Stroke ; psychology ; therapy

The low-risk mild hypertension constitutes a considerable proportion in hypertension. Through searching CNKI, Wanfang database, VIP database and PubMed database, literature during the last 10 years was collected and reviewed. It was indicated that excessive diagnosis, insufficient evidence of drug treatment, and poor drug adherence existed in low-risk mild hypertension, however, acupuncture at Renying (ST 9) and other therapies had remarkable effects. This paper mainly expounded the diagnosis and treatment status of low-risk mild hypertension as well as the research summary of acupuncture for low-risk mild hypertension.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; trends ; Humans ; Hypertension ; therapy ; PubMed ; statistics & numerical data

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at point Shanzhong(CV17) plus cupping on Back-Shu points in treating migraine. Methods Seventy migraine patients were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 35 cases each. The control group received conventional acupuncture and the treatment group, acupuncture at point Shanzhong(CV17) plus cupping on Back-Shu points in addition. The VAS score was counted in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results The cure and marked efficacy rate and the total efficacy rate were 88.6%and 100.0%, respectively, in the treatment group and 62.9%and 94.3%, respectively, in the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in the cure and marked efficacy rate 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＜0.05). There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in the VAS score between the treatment and control groups (P>0.01). The clinical symptom improvement rate was (78.3±10.6)%in the treatment group and (49.8±11.2)%in the control group;there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.01). Conclusion Acupuncture at point Shanzhong plus cupping on Back-Shu(CV17) points is an effective way to treat migraine.

Objective:To observe the effects of the Chinese medicine prescription Xiao-Cheng-Qi decoction (XCQD) on acute brain edema and inflammatory factors in rats with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI).Methods:A total of 108 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into control group, sham operation group, sTBI model group, and XCQD low, medium, high dose groups by random number table method, with 18 rats in each group. sTBI rat model was prepared according to the modified Freeney method. At 6 hours after injury, the XCQD low, medium, and high dose groups were given XCQD 1.80, 2.78, and 4.59 g/kg by gavage, respectively, and the other three groups were given the same amount of normal saline, once a day for 3 days. After 3 days of injury, rats in each group were sacrificed after the modified neurologic severity score (mNSS) assessed. Pathological changes of brain tissue were observed under light microscope after hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, water content of brain tissue was measured by dry-wet specific gravity method, and the expressions of aquaporin 4 (AQP4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in brain tissue were detected by Western blotting. Serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results:Compared with the normal group, the mNSS score of rats increased significantly, the structure of brain tissue was disordered, and pathological changes appeared such as inflammation, edema, pyknosis of nerve nuclei, water content, the protein expressions of AQP4, TNF-α and IL-1β in brain tissue, and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β in serum were significantly increased. After XCQD intervention, the above indexes were significantly improved. Compared with sTBI model group, the mNSS score of XCQD medium and high dose groups significantly decreased (6.94±1.16, 6.88±1.02 vs. 8.61±1.09, both P < 0.05), and the pathological changes such as brain edema and inflammation were alleviated. Brain tissue water content, AQP4 protein expression and contents of serum TNF-α, IL-1β in XCQD low, medium, and high dose groups significantly decreased compared with sTBI model group [brain tissue water content: (78.25±0.71)%, (77.62±0.44)%, (76.70±0.74)% vs. (80.08±0.66)%; the expression of brain AQP4 protein (AQP4/β-actin): 0.86±0.13, 0.84±0.22, 0.65±0.13 vs. 1.08±0.14; serum TNF-α (ng/L): 106.34±15.07, 95.75±17.26, 89.00±17.36 vs. 141.96±29.47; serum IL-1β (ng/L): 90.41±12.88, 72.82±13.51, 71.32±16.79 vs. 128.57±22.56, respectively, all P < 0.05]. The protein expressions of TNF-α,IL-1β in brain tissue of XCQD medium and high dose groups also significantly decreased compared with sTBI model group [TNF-α (TNF-α/β-actin): 0.90±0.24, 0.79±0.35 vs. 1.17±0.15; IL-1β (IL-1β/β-actin): 0.91±0.21, 0.68±0.28 vs. 1.23±0.08, respectively, all P < 0.05]. Brain tissue water content, the expression of brain AQP4 protein, the levels of brain tissue and serum IL-1β in XCQD high dose group improved more significant than those of XCQD low dose group. Conclusions:XCQD can alleviate the acute brain edema in sTBI rats, and it is dose-dependent. The mechanism may be relevant to reduce the secondary inflammatory response of sTBI by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β.

Objective To establish a HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of artemisinin,arteannuin B,chrysosplenetin and chrysosplenol-D in the water extract of Artemisia annua L.Methods The analysis was performed on Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm)column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile(A)-water(B)and the flow rate of 0.8 mL·min-1 in a gradient elution manner.The column temperature was 30℃.The injection volume was 10 μL,and the detection wavelength was 210 nm.Results Artemisinin,arteannuin B,chrysosplenetin and chrysosplenol-D were correlated well linearly with peak area in their respective ranges 1.608 8-16.088 μg(r=0.999 9),0.014 1-0.141 4 μg(r=1),0.185 1-1.850 9 μg(r=0.999 9),0.144 1-1.441 4 μg(r=0.999 9),the average recovery rate(n=6)were 102.44%,97.82%,95.07%,95.55%,and the RSD values were 1.12%,1.44%,1.29%,1.53%.Conclusion This method is convenient and accurate.It has good stability and repeatability,and can be used to simultaneously determine the content of artemisinin,arteannuin B,chrysosplenetin and chrysosplenol-D in the water extract of Artemisia annua L.

OBJECTIVEBased on the western medication, to evaluate the advantages in the morning blood pressure treated with acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and Neck-Jiaji (EX-B 2) combined with acupuncture technique for activating blood circulation, eliminating wind and regulating the liver and spleen in the patients with essential hypertension.

METHODSA total of 90 patients of essential hypertension of the mild and moderate degrees were randomized into a medication group (30 cases, 3 dropping), No.1 acupuncture group (30 cases, 2 dropping) and No.2 acupuncture group (30 cases, 1 dropping). In the medication group, adalat was prescribed for oral administration, 30 mg at 7 am every day, continuously for 6 weeks. In the No.1 acupuncture group, on the basis of the treatment as the medication group, the acupuncture technique for activating blood circulation, eliminating wind and regulating the liver and spleen was applied and the acupoints were Renying (ST 9), Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Quchi (LI 11) and Zusanli (ST 36). In the No.2 acupuncture group, on the basis of the treatment as the No.1 acupuncture group, Fengchi (GB 20) and Neck-Jiaji (EX-B 2) were added in acupuncture. Acupuncture was given in the time zone from 8 am through 10 am every day, once a day, 5 times a week, totally for 6 weeks. Separately, before treatment and in 2, 4 and 6 weeks of treatment, the morning blood pressure, the control rate and the symptom score were observed in the patients of the three groups. The morning blood pressure was followed up in 3 and 6 months separately.

RESULTSCompared with those before treatment, in 2, 4 and 6 weeks of treatment, the levels of blood pressure reduced in the patients of the three groups (<0.05, <0.01). After 2-week treatment, the differences were not significant in the morning blood pressure and its control rate in the patients of the three groups (all >0.05). In 4 and 6 weeks of treatment, the levels of the morning blood pressure in the No.2 acupuncture group were lower than those in the No.1 acupuncture group, and the results in the No.1 and No.2 acupuncture groups were all lower than those in the medication group (all <0.05). In the follow-up visit for 3 and 6 months separately, the differences were not significant in the morning blood pressure among the three groups (all >0.05). In 2, 4 and 6 weeks of treatment, the symptom scores reduced as compared with those before treatment in the three groups (all <0.05). The symptom scores in the No.1 and No.2 acupuncture groups were all lower than those in the medication group (all <0.05). The differences were not significant between the No.1 acupuncture group and the No.2 acupuncture group (all >0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe comprehensive treatment of acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and Neck-Jiaji (EX-B 2) combined with acupuncture technique for activating blood circulation, eliminating wind and regulating the liver and spleen achieve the effects of reducing the morning blood pressure in the patients with essential hypertension, relieving the symptoms of hypertension such as headache, vertigo and tinnitus and the effects are better than those of the acupuncture technique for activating blood circulation, eliminating wind and regulating the liver and spleen.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Blood Pressure ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Essential Hypertension ; therapy ; Humans ; Nifedipine ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of acupuncture combined with medication on circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension.

METHODSSixty-four patients of essential hypertension were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 32 cases in each group. All the patients maintained original treatment (taking antihypertensive medication); the patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture method of ",", once a day, five times per week, for totally 6 weeks (30 times). The circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.

RESULTS(1) The differences of daytime average systolic blood pressure (dASBP), daytime average diastolic blood pressure (dADBP), nighttime average systolic blood pressure (nASBP) and circadian rhythm of systolic blood pressure before and after treatment were significant in the observation group (all<0.05); the differences of circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters before and after treatment were insignificant in the control group (all>0.05). The nASBP and circadian rhythm of systolic blood pressure in the observation group were significantly different from those in the control group (all<0.05). (2) After the treatment, the spoon-shaped rate of circadian rhythm of blood pressure in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupuncture combined with medication could effectively improve the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters in patients with essential hypertension.