OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect of "Tongdu Yisui" (unblocking the governor vessel and benefiting marrow) acupuncture and moxibustion on Meige syndrome. METHODS: Fifteen patients with Meige syndrome were treated with "Tongdu Yisui" acupuncture and moxibustion. Acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV20), Dazhui (GV14), Shenzhu (GV12), Zhiyang (GV9), Jinsuo (GV8), bilateral Taixi (KI3), Zhaohai (KI6) and etc. Moxibustion was delivered at Jinsuo (GV8). After acupuncture and moxibustion at these body points, Jiao's scalp acupuncture was operated at bilateral chorea-tremor control area, and the patients were asked to walk for 20 min during needle retaining. Acupuncture and moxibustion were administered 20 min each time, once every two days, 3 times weekly and for 8 consecutive weeks. Assessments were conducted before treatment, after treatment, and follow-up at three months after treatment completion using the Burke-Fahn-Marsden dystonia rating scale (BFMDRS-M), abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS), and blepharospasm disability index (BSDI); and the clinical effect was evaluated after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the scores of the sub-items of BFMDRS-M for eyes, mouth, speech and swallowing, and neck, as well as the total score of the scale, AIMS score and BSDI score decreased after treatment and during follow-up (P<0.05); the scores of the above indexes were not different statistically in comparison between the follow-up and after treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, 13 cases were effective, 2 cases were failed and the total effective rate was 86.7% (13/15). CONCLUSION "Tongdu Yisui" acupuncture and moxibustion can effectively alleviate motor symptoms and dysfunction of Meige syndrome and presents the sustained therapeutic effect.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Male ; Female ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Meige Syndrome/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged ; Adolescent

Objective:To evaluate the role of autophagy in hydrogen-rich solution-induced reduction of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in rats.Methods:Thirty-two clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 2-3 months, weighing 240-260 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=8 each) by a random number table method: incisional pain group (group I), remifentanil+ incisional pain group (group RI), hydrogen-rich solution+ remifentanil+ incisional pain group (group HRI), and hydrogen-rich solution + autophagy inhibitor+ remifentanil+ incisional pain group (MHRI group). The tail vein was catheterized, the equal volume of normal saline was intravenously infused for 60 min while the incisional pain model was developed in group I, and remifentanil was intravenously infused at a rate of 1 μg·kg -1·min -1 for 60 min while the incisional pain model was developed in RI, HRI and MHRI groups, hydrogen-rich solution 10 ml/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 10 min before preparing the model in group HRI, and 3-MA 15 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 1 h before preparing the model in MHRI group, and the other treatments were similar to those previously described in group HRI. The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) were determined at 24 h before and 2, 6, 24 and 48 h after the end of infusion. The rats were sacrificed under anesthesia after the behavioral testing, and the lumbar enlargement segment of the spinal cord was removed for determination of the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Ⅱ (LC3Ⅱ), Beclin-1 and P62 by Western blot. Results:Compared with the baseline at T 0, the MWT was significantly decreased and TWL was shortened at T 1-4 in the four groups ( P<0.05). Compared with group I, the MWT was significantly decreased and TWL was shortened at T 1-4, the expression of LC3 II and Beclin-1 was up-regulated, and the expression of P62 was down-regulated in group RI and group HRI ( P<0.05). Compared with group RI, the MWT was significantly increased and TWL was prolonged at T 1-4 in group HRI and group MHRI, the expression of LC3 II and Beclin-1 was significantly up-regulated, and the expression of P62 was down-regulated in group HRI, and the expression of LC3 II and Beclin-1 was significantly down-regulated, and the expression of P62 was up-regulated in group MHRI ( P<0.05). Compared with group HRI, the MWT was significantly decreased and TWL was shortened at T 1-4, the expression of LC3 II and Beclin-1 was down-regulated, and the expression of P62 was up-regulated in group MHRI ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The mechanism by which hydrogen-rich solution alleviates hyperalgesia may be related to enhancing the level of autophagy in the spinal cord of rats with incisional pain induced by remifentanil.

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between autophagy and oxidative stress during remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in the rats with incisional pain.Methods:Thirty-two clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 230-250 g, aged 2-3 months, were divided into 4 groups ( n=8 each) using a random number table method: incisional pain group (I group), remifentanil + incisional pain group (RI group), autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine + remifentanil + incisional pain group (MRI group) and autophagy agonist rapamycin group + remifentanil + incisional pain group (RRI group). The model of incision pain was developed and the equal volume of normal saline was intravenously infused simultaneously for 60 min.In RI, MRI and RRI groups, the model of incision pain was developed and remifentanil 1 μg·kg -1·min -1 was simultaneously infused for 60 min.In MRI group, 3-methyladenine 15 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 12 h before developing the model, and rapamycin 10 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 12 h before developing the model in RRI group.Thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) and mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) were measured at 24 h before infusion of remifentanil or normal saline (T 0) and at 2, 6, 24 and 48 h after the end of infusion (T 1-4). The rats were sacrificed after the end of behavioral testing, and the lumbar enlargement segments of the spinal cord were harvested for determination of the expression of autophagy microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Ⅱ (LC3Ⅱ), Beclin-1 and P62 (by Western blot), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (by xanthine oxidase method) and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) (by thiobarbital method). Results:Compared with the baseline at T 0, PWT was significantly decreased and TWL was shortened at T 1-4 in the four groups ( P<0.05). Compared with I group, MWT was significantly decreased and TWL was shortened at T 1-4, the expression of LC3 Ⅱand Beclin-1 was up-regulated, the expression of P62 was down-regulated, SOD activity was decreased, and MDA content was increased in RI group ( P<0.05). Compared with RI group, MWT was significantly decreased and TWL was shortened at T 1-4, the expression of LC3 Ⅱand Beclin-1 was down-regulated, the expression of P62 was up-regulated, SOD activity was decreased, and MDA content was increased in MRI group ( P<0.05), and MWT was significantly increased and TWL was prolonged at T 1-4, the expression of LC3 Ⅱand Beclin-1 was up-regulated, the expression of P62 was down-regulated, SOD activity was increased, and MDA content was decreased in RRI group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Autophagy is involved in the process of remifentanil-induced incisional hyperalgesia through regulating the level of oxidative stress in rats.

Objective To evaluate the role of autophagy in remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in the rats with incisional pain.Methods Forty pathogen-free healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 2-3 months,weighing 250-280 g,were divided into 5 groups (n =8 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),remifentanil group (group R),incisional pain group (group Ⅰ),incisional pain plus remifentanil group (group IR) and incisional pain plus remifentanil plus autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) group (group MA).In group R,remifentanil was infused for 60 min at a rate of 1 μg · kg-1 · min-1 through the caudal vein.In group IR,a 1-cm longitudinal incision was made through skin,fascia and muscle of the plantar aspect of both hindpaws in anesthetized rats at 10 min of remifentanil infusion.In group MA,3-MA 15 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally at 1 h before establishment of the model,and the other treatments were similar to those previously described in group IR,while the equal volume of normal saline was given in the other groups.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured at 24 h before infusion and 2,6,24 and 48 h after infusion (T0-4).The rats were sacrificed after the last measurement of pain threshold at T4,and the L4-6 segments of the spinal cord were removed for determination of the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 Ⅱ (LC3 Ⅱ),Beclin-1 and P62 by Western blot.Results Compared with group C,the MWT was significantly decreased and the TWL was shortened at T1-4 in R,Ⅰ,IR and MA groups,the expression of LC3 Ⅱ and Beclin-1 was up-regulated,and P62 expression was down-regulated in R and IR groups,the expression of LC3 Ⅱ was up-regulated at T4 in group Ⅰ,and the expression of LC3 Ⅱ and Beclin-1 was up-regulated at T4 in group MA (P＜0.0.5).Compared with group R,the MWT was significantly decreased and the TWL was shortened at T1-4,and the expression of LC3 Ⅱ was up-regulated at T4 in group IR (P＜0.05).Compared with group Ⅰ,the MWT was significantly decreased and the TWL was shortened at T1-4,and the expression of LC3 Ⅱ and Beclin-1 was up-regulated and P62 expression was down-regulated at T4 in group IR (P＜0.05).Compared with group IR,the MWT was significantly decreased and the TWL was shortened at T1-4,and the expression of LC3 Ⅱ and Beclin-1 was down-regulated and P62 expression was up-regulated at T4 in group MA (P＜0.05).Conclusion Autophagy is involved in the development and maintenance of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in the rats with incisional pain.