Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Chinese herbal and western medicines(CHM & WM)combined with acupoint pulse-laser stimulation(APLS)for calculus of upper urinary tract.Methods Sixty cases of calculus of upper urinary tract were allocated to the treatment group(Group A,n=36)and the control group (Group B,n=24).Group A was treated with CHM & WM combined with APLS and Group B with CHM alone.Results The therapeutic effect rate was 94.4% and 75.0% in Group A and Group B respectively (P

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Tiao Ren Tong Du (regulating the Conception Vessel and unblocking the Governor Vessel) needling method in treating post-stroke insomnia and the change of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) after treatment, and to discuss the effect of this needling method on post-stroke insomnia. Method Ninety post-stroke patients were randomized into a treatment group, a control group and a Western medicine group. For the treatment group, points from the Conception and Governor Vessels were selected as the major points; for the control group, conventional needling method was adopted; for the Western medicine group, Zopiclone was prescribed. After intervention, the clinical efficacies and PSQI scores were investigated and compared. Result After intervention, the effective rates of the three groups were equivalent (P>0.05), the recovery rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control groups (P<0.05,P<0.01), and the PSQI scores were significantly changed in all three groups (P<0.05); the one-month and 3-month follow-ups showed insignificant changes of PSQI score in the treatment group compared to that right after the intervention (P>0.05); in the Western medicine group, the one-month follow-up showed significant difference in PSQI score compared to that right after the intervention (P<0.05); in the control group, there was a significant difference in PSQI score between the one-month follow-up and 3-month follow-up results (P<0.05). Conclusion The clinical efficacies of acupuncture methods and oral administration of Zopiclone are equivalent in treating post-stroke insomnia, but Tiao Ren Tong Du needling method can produce a higher recovery rate and better long-term efficacy.

blank group. Conclusion Fangshi capsule combining with Auricular-plaster therapy could prevent the formation of cholesterol gallstone possibly by reducing the calcium ion concentration in the bile.

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) on hippocampal structure in splenic asthenia pedo-rats.Methods A total of 15 SD male rats were randomly assigned to normal control group(n=5),model group(n=5) and EA group(n=5).Splenic asthenic syndrome model was established by intragastric administration of rhubarb and intraperitoneal injection of Reserpine for 14d.EA(1mA,3Hz/15Hz) was applied to bilateral "Zusanli"(ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6) for 20min,once a day for 14 days.The cellular structure of hippocampus was observed by light microscope and transmission electron microscope.Results Optical microscopic observation showed that in normal control group,the cellular nucleus was distinct,and the granular cell layer well-arranged and tight.In model group,the intracellular space was widened,and the granular cell layer was out of order in the arrangement.In EA group,the cellular nucleus and the granular cell layer were nearly normal.Results of the electronic microscope showed that cells in model group had a karyopyknosis with irregular appearance and clear incisure,and some of them presented dissolving and necrotic phenomena;and those in EA group were milder in injury,had nearly-normal nucleus with visible nucleoli and relatively-intact nuclear membrane.Regarding the cellular plasma,in comparison with rich normal organelles of control group,the mitochondria in model group were swelling,with vague,dissolved and broken cristae,while in EA group,majority of the organelles were well-kept,and slightly dissolved mitochondrial cristae found.In regard to the synaptic structure,in comparison with control group,synaptic apomorphosis and swelling mitochondria were found in model group.While in EA group,milder swelling and hydropic degeneration were seen.Different from the distinct pre-and post-synaptic membrane and synaptic vesicles of control group,the synaptic clefts and vesicles of model group were vague in the profile;while those in EA group were nearly-normal.Conclusion Electroacupuncture can effectively relieve splenasthenic syndrome induced pathohistological changes of neurons of the hippocampus in the rat.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with tuina for chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). Methods:A total of 97 CTTH cases were randomly allocated into an observation group (n=52) and a control group (n=45). Patients in the observation group were treated with EA plus tuina based on pattern identification, whereas patients in the control group were treated with oral amitriptyline and oryzanol. Patients in both groups were treated for 8 weeks. A follow-up was conducted 3 months after the treatment. The intensity, duration, and frequency of the headache were recorded and compared before and after the treatment. Additionally, the patients' psychological state and quality of life (QOL) were compared between the two groups. Results:There were intra-group statistically significant differences in headache intensity score, headache duration, and headache frequency after the treatment and during the follow-up compared with those before the treatment (allP<0.05); and there were between-group statistically significant differences during the same time frame (allP<0.05). The Hamilton depression scale-17 items (HAMD-17) and Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) scores were significantly reduced in both groups after the treatment or during the follow-up (allP<0.01); and there were no between-group statistical significances during the same time frame (allP>0.05). The World Health Organization quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) scores were significantly reduced in both groups after the treatment or during the follow-up (allP<0.05); and the scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (allP<0.05) during the same time frame. The total effective rate was 88.0% in the observation group, versus 71.4% in the control group, showing a significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusion:EA combined with tuina can significantly decrease the frequency of chronic tension-type headache, alleviate headache intensity, shorten headache duration, and improve the patients' wellness. It is better than amitriptyline plus oryzanol.

[ Objective ] To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture ( EA) on synaptic transmission in hippocampal dentate gyrus of rats with cerebral ischemic damage. [Methods] Sixty Wistar rats were enrolled into this study. Among them, 30 were given high-frequency stimulation (HFS) and the other 30 were not. Then the HFS rats were randomized into sham-operation group (group A), model group (group B) and acupuncture group (group C); so did the non-HFS rats. Bilateral carotid arteries were exposed but not blocked in Group A, while were blocked by traction with silk thread for modeling in group B. Group C were treated with EA before and after modeling. Effects of EA on synaptic transmission in hippocampal dentate gyrus of non-HFS rats were evaluated with in-vivo long-term potential ( LTP) recorded by electrophysiological technique. Effects of EA on LTP in hippocampal dentate gyrus of HFS rats were observed after LTP was induced by HFS. [Results] In non-HFS rats, no significant changes of magnitude of population spike (PS) occurred within 120 min in group A; magnitude of PS in group B decreased at 10th min after modeling ( P

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Jin’s Three Needles plus twelve Jing-Well points in treating post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome. Methods Sixty patients meeting the inclusion criteria of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 30 cases each. The treatment group received acupuncture with Jin’s Three Needles plus twelve Jing-Well points and the control group, conventional acupuncture. The Clinical Neurological Disfunction Scale (CNDS) score, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) score, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the Functiional Comprehensive Assessment (FCA) score were observed in the two groups before and after two weeks of treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the CNDS, FMA, VAS and FCA scores in the two groups (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate and the cure and marked efficacy rate were 96.7%and 55.7%in the combination group, respectively, in the treatment group and 83.3%and 26.7%, respectively, in the control group;there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture with Jin’s Three Needles plus twelve Jing-Well points is an effective way to treat post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome.

By retrospectively reviewing the current status of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine treatments of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNP), the TCM understanding of its etiologies and pathogenesis, the therapeutic principles and the mechanisms of acupuncture treatment of CNP, the clinical study strategies of acupuncture treatment for CNP were further proposed, which could provide more scientific basis and support for the definite longer-term therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture treatment of CNP. Breakthrough in the treatment of CNP will be achieved with the application of acupuncture therapy both in clinical practice and experimental research.

Cerebral ischemia is one of the most common diseases treated by acupuncture therapeutics. Recent studies indicated that acupuncture treatment by needling the conception and governor vessels had positive effects in promoting neural regeneration in patients after cerebral ischemia injury. Acupuncture intervention could continuously promote the proliferation and differentiation of the neural stem cells in the brain, obviously up-regulate expression of growth factors, accelerate angiogenesis and inhibit apoptosis. Hence, it is necessary to present an exhaustive review on the mechanisms. The present review gives a detailed description of pathological changes of cerebral ischemia and acupuncture intervention applied to the conception and governor vessels, and proposes research prospects in the future.

Aim To study the mechanisms of the pro-tective effect of procyanidin B2 ( PCB2 ) on the myocar-dial cell apoptosis induced by lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) . Methods Using the primary culture rat myo-cardial cells, myocardial cell injury model was induced by LPS. PCB2 low, medium and high dose groups, were cultured with 6. 25 , 12. 5 , 25. 0 μmol · L-1 PCB2 respectively in DMEM medium for 24 h continu-ously. Myocardial cell survival rate was determined by MTT colorimetric method. Cardiacmyocyte NOX activi-ty was determined by lucigen chemiluminescence meth-od . Western blot analysis was used to detect myocardi-al NADPH oxidase p47phox expression. TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis and flow cytometry was used to determine the content of myocardial cells ROS. Results Compared with control group, the cell dam-age induced by LPS group myocardial cell survival rate significantly decreased ( P <0. 01 ) , and myocardial cell NOX activity, p47phox expression, apoptotic cell number and ROS content were significantly increased (P<0. 01). PCB2 low, medium and high dose groups cell survival rates were significantly elevated, myocar-dial cell NOX activity and p47phox expression, apoptotic cell number and the ROS content decreased significant-ly in a dose-dependent manner ( P <0. 01 ) . Conclu-sion PCB2 protects myocardial cell apoptosis induced by LPS via inhibiting the expression of NADPH oxidase activation, p47phox expression and reactive oxygen spe-cies generation.