OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Tiaoshu Anshen (regulating the hinge and calming the mind) acupuncture on sleep quality and serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in patients with chronic insomnia. METHODS: A total of 58 patients with chronic insomnia were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 29 cases in each group. Tiaoshu Anshen acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV20) and bilateral Shenmen (HT7), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Benshen (GB13) in the acupuncture group, once a day, 1-day interval was taken after 6 consecutive days of treatment. Estazolam tablet was given orally before bed in the medication group, 1 mg each time. The 4-week treatment was required in both groups. Before and after treatment, the sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and polysomnography (PSG), the serum levels of 5-HT and DA were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: After treatment, the item scores and total scores of PSQI were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05); in the acupuncture group, the scores of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep disorders and total score of PSQI were lower than those in the medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the total sleep time (TST) was prolonged (P<0.05), the sleep latency (SL) and wake after sleep onset (WASO) were shortened (P<0.05), the sleep efficiency (SE%), percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 3 (N3%), percentage of rapid eye movement stage (REM%) and serum levels of 5-HT were increased (P<0.05) compared with those before treatment; the percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 1 (N1%), percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 2 (N2%) and serum levels of DA were decreased (P<0.05) compared with those before treatment in the two groups. After treatment, in the acupuncture group, TST was longer, while SL and WASO were shorter than those in the medication group (P<0.05), SE%, N3%, REM% and serum level of 5-HT were higher, while N1%, N2% and serum level of DA were lower than those in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Tiaoshu Anshen acupuncture may improve the sleep quality by regulating the serum neurotransmitter levels i.e. 5-HT and DA in patients with chronic insomnia.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Serotonin/blood* ; Sleep Quality ; Acupuncture Points ; Dopamine/blood* ; Aged ; Neurotransmitter Agents/blood* ; Young Adult

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"on autophagy and apoptosis related indexes of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC)in rats with functional dyspepsia(FD);To explore its possible mechanism on improving gastrointestinal motility of FD.Methods Totally 32 SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group,with 8 rats in each group.An FD model was constructed using a composite etiology modeling method.The electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun",while the Western medicine group received oral administration of mosapride once a day for 7 consecutive days.The general condition,body mass and average daily intake of rats were observed every week,and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate were detected,transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of gastric antrum ICC,Western blot was used to observe the expressions of c-kit,Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62,Caspase-3 protein in gastric antrum tissue,qPCR was used to observe the mRNA expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62 and c-kit in gastric antrum tissue,TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis rate of cells in gastric antrum tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group rats were mentally lethargic,clustered and curled up,with reduced activity,rough and dull hair,loose and unformed feces,reduced body mass and daily food intake(P<0.05),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate decreased(P<0.01),ICC mitochondria swelled and dissolved,with varying degrees of vacuolar formation,rough endoplasmic reticulum dilation and destruction,and a large number of autophagosomes,the expressions of Beclin1 and LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue increased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA decreased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression increased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the condition of rats in electroacupuncture group and the Western medicine group were improved,with increased responsiveness,increased mobility,neat hair,formed feces,increased body mass and daily food intake(P<0.01),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate increase(P<0.01),a normal ICC structure,and a small amount of autophagosomes were still visible,the expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue decreased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA increased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression decreased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells decreased(P<0.01).There was no statistically significant difference in various indicators between electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group(P>0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"can restore the number and structure of ICC and improve gastrointestinal motility,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of autophagy and apoptosis levels.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"on autophagy and apoptosis related indexes of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC)in rats with functional dyspepsia(FD);To explore its possible mechanism on improving gastrointestinal motility of FD.Methods Totally 32 SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group,with 8 rats in each group.An FD model was constructed using a composite etiology modeling method.The electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun",while the Western medicine group received oral administration of mosapride once a day for 7 consecutive days.The general condition,body mass and average daily intake of rats were observed every week,and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate were detected,transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of gastric antrum ICC,Western blot was used to observe the expressions of c-kit,Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62,Caspase-3 protein in gastric antrum tissue,qPCR was used to observe the mRNA expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62 and c-kit in gastric antrum tissue,TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis rate of cells in gastric antrum tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group rats were mentally lethargic,clustered and curled up,with reduced activity,rough and dull hair,loose and unformed feces,reduced body mass and daily food intake(P<0.05),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate decreased(P<0.01),ICC mitochondria swelled and dissolved,with varying degrees of vacuolar formation,rough endoplasmic reticulum dilation and destruction,and a large number of autophagosomes,the expressions of Beclin1 and LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue increased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA decreased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression increased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the condition of rats in electroacupuncture group and the Western medicine group were improved,with increased responsiveness,increased mobility,neat hair,formed feces,increased body mass and daily food intake(P<0.01),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate increase(P<0.01),a normal ICC structure,and a small amount of autophagosomes were still visible,the expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue decreased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA increased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression decreased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells decreased(P<0.01).There was no statistically significant difference in various indicators between electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group(P>0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"can restore the number and structure of ICC and improve gastrointestinal motility,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of autophagy and apoptosis levels.

This article mainly elaborated the acupuncture and moxibustion treatment scheme of"eighteen needles for reproduction"based on Professor You Zhaoling's reproductive axis theory of"heart-kidney-Chong Ren-uterus".The"eighteen needles for reproduction"aims to regulate the disordered reproductive axis in gynecological reproductive diseases.It selects the acupoints on the main viscera and meridians of the reproductive axis as the main acupoints,and the acupoints regulating the qi and blood of the related viscera as the matching acupoints.Through specific manipulation,it can regulate the qi and blood,dredge the meridians,and treat the viscera,so as to nourish the essence and help pregnancy,and provide ideas and reference for the treatment of gynecological reproductive diseases with acupuncture and moxibustion.