OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of governor vessel moxibustion on improving cardiopulmonary fitness in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of qi deficiency of lung and kidney. METHODS: A total of 40 patients with stable COPD of qi deficiency of lung and kidney were randomized into an observation group (20 cases) and a control group (20 cases). The routine basic treatment and nursing were adopted in the control group. In the observation group, on the basis of the treatment in the control group, governor vessel moxibustion was applied at the area from Dazhui (GV14) to Yaoshu (GV2) of the governor vessel, 1 hour a time, once a week. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks consecutively. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), 6-minute walking test (6MWT) and Borg score, pulmonary function indexes (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV₁], forced vital capacity [FVC] and ratio of FEV₁ and FVC [FEV₁/FVC]), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) score, and TCM syndrome score were observed in the two groups before and after treatment respectively. RESULTS: After treatment, the VO₂max, 6MWT, FEV₁, FVC and FEV₁/FVC were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.001, P<0.05), the above indexes in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, the Borg, CAT and TCM syndrome scores were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05, P<0.001), the above indexes in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Governor vessel moxibustion can effectively improve the cardiopulmonary fitness, clinical symptoms and the quality of life in patients with stable COPD of qi deficiency of lung and kidney.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Qi ; Lung/physiopathology* ; Kidney/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Points

Objective:To construct a recombinant plasmid DNA carrying the decorin( DCN) gene and study its therapeutic effect on hypertrophic scars of rabbit ears. Methods:The human decorin gene fragment amplified by PCR was cloned into plasmid vector pUDK to construct the recombinant plasmid pDCN, which was identified by enzyme digestion and sequencing. pDCN was transfected into 293T cells, and the expression of DCN and TGF-β1 was detected. The therapeutic effect of pDCN on rabbit ear hypertrophic scar model was observed by hypertrophy index, pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining. Results:The decorin gene was successfully inserted into pUDK, which was examined by enzyme digestion and sequencing. The expression level of mRNA and protein of DCN was up-regulated in 293T cells post pDCN transfection, and the expression of TGF-β1 was suppressed. Then the rabbit ear hypertrophic scars were treated with different doses of pDCN, and the results showed that the hypertrophy index of the medium dose (200 μg/cm 2) pDCN group was significantly lower than that of the PBS group ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the hypertrophy index of the low dose and high dose pDCN group compared with the PBS group. The expression of DCN in ears skin in the medium dose pDCN group was significantly higher than that in the PBS group ( P<0.05). The pathological examination showed that inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrous deposition in scar tissue were significantly reduced. These results indicated that the medium-dose pDCN could effectively inhibit the hyperplasia of hypertrophic scar in rabbit ears. Conclusions:pDCN, the plasmid carrying decorin gene, has therapeutic effects on hypertrophic scars of rabbit ears by inhibiting TGF-β1 expression.

Objective:To construct a recombinant plasmid DNA carrying the decorin( DCN) gene and study its therapeutic effect on hypertrophic scars of rabbit ears. Methods:The human decorin gene fragment amplified by PCR was cloned into plasmid vector pUDK to construct the recombinant plasmid pDCN, which was identified by enzyme digestion and sequencing. pDCN was transfected into 293T cells, and the expression of DCN and TGF-β1 was detected. The therapeutic effect of pDCN on rabbit ear hypertrophic scar model was observed by hypertrophy index, pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining. Results:The decorin gene was successfully inserted into pUDK, which was examined by enzyme digestion and sequencing. The expression level of mRNA and protein of DCN was up-regulated in 293T cells post pDCN transfection, and the expression of TGF-β1 was suppressed. Then the rabbit ear hypertrophic scars were treated with different doses of pDCN, and the results showed that the hypertrophy index of the medium dose (200 μg/cm 2) pDCN group was significantly lower than that of the PBS group ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the hypertrophy index of the low dose and high dose pDCN group compared with the PBS group. The expression of DCN in ears skin in the medium dose pDCN group was significantly higher than that in the PBS group ( P<0.05). The pathological examination showed that inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrous deposition in scar tissue were significantly reduced. These results indicated that the medium-dose pDCN could effectively inhibit the hyperplasia of hypertrophic scar in rabbit ears. Conclusions:pDCN, the plasmid carrying decorin gene, has therapeutic effects on hypertrophic scars of rabbit ears by inhibiting TGF-β1 expression.