OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of different methods of moxibustion on spleen morphology in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressive rabbits.

METHODSA total of 50 rabbits were randomly assigned into a blank group, a model group, a herbal cake-separated moxibustion group, a moxibustion group and a sham cake-separated moxibustion group, 10 rabbits in each group. Except the blank group, the rabbits in each group were treated with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg), once a day, for 7 consecutive days to establish immunosuppressive model. After the model establishment, the rabbits in the herbal cake-separated moxibustion group were treated with herbal cake-separated moxibustion at "Shenque" (CV 8), "Guanyuan" (CV 4), "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Pishu" (BL 20) and "Shenshu" (BL 23); the moxa cone was placed on the herbal cake which was made ofdecoction, three cones for each acupoint. The rabbits in the moxibustion group were treated with moxa stick moxibustion which contained equal moxa of three moxa cones. The rabbits in the sham cake-separated moxibustion group were treated with cake which was made of flour. The acupoint selection in the above three groups was identical, and the intervention was given once every other day for totally 10 times. The rabbits in the blank group and model group were immobilized for identical time without any intervention. After treatment, the rabbits were sacrificed to collect the spleen. With routine HE staining, the morphology changes of spleen were observed under microscope. In addition, the white pulp, splenic corpuscle and the counts of lymphatic cells of lymphatic sheath around the arteries were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, the average size of white pulp and the radius of splenic corpuscle were reduced (both<0.01), and the lymphatic cells of lymphatic sheath around the arteries were significantly decreased in the model group (<0.01), but the counts of splenic nodule were increased without significant difference (>0.05). Compared with the model group, the averagesize of white pulp and the radius of splenic corpuscle were significantly increased in the herbal cake-separated moxibustion group and moxibustion group (all<0.01). The lymphatic cells of lymphatic sheath around the arteries were significantly increased in the herbal cake-separated moxibustion group and sham cake-separated moxibustion group (both<0.01). Compared with the moxibustion group, the count of lymphatic cells of lymphatic sheath around the arteries was increased in the herbal cake-separated moxibustion (<0.01). Compared with the sham cake-separated moxibustion group, the radius of splenic corpuscle was significant increased in the herbal cake-separated moxibustion group (<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe improvement of herbal cake-separated moxibustion on immunologic function is superior to moxibustion and sham cake-separated moxibustion in cyclophosphamide-induced rabbits.