ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the differences in the clinical efficacy on menopausal irritability between acupuncture and medication. METHODS: Sixty cases of menopausal irritability were randomized into an acupuncture group (31 cases) and a medication group (29 cases). In the acupuncture group, the warming needling manipulation was applied at the key acupoints such as Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3), once a day, 10 treatments made one session. Totally, 2 sessions were required. In the medication group, 2.5 mg diazepam tablets were prescribed, three times a day, for 23 days totally. The clinical efficacy, the modified Kupperman score and self-rated health measurement scale (SRHMS) were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS The total effective rate was 87. 1% (27/31) in the acupuncture group and 82.8% (24/29) in the medication group. The difference in the clinical efficacy was not significant between the two groups (P > 0.05). The modified Kupperman score and SRHMS score were both reduced obviously after treatment in the two groups, indicating the significant difference (all P < 0.05). The reduction of two scores in the acupuncture group was more obvious than those in the medication group (Kupperman: 15.23 +/- 6.19 vs 18.45 +/- 5.37; SRHMS: 116.29 +/- 38.24 vs 140.34 +/- 42.15, both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The acupuncture and medication are effective in the treatment of menopausal irritability, but the efficacy of warming needling manipulation is better than that of diazepam tablets.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Anti-Anxiety Agents/administration & dosage , Anxiety/therapy , Diazepam/administration & dosage , Menopause/psychology , Adult , Anxiety/drug therapy , Anxiety/psychology , Female , Humans , Menopause/drug effects , Middle Aged , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference effects between warming-promotion acupuncture and normal acupuncture on lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). METHODS: Sixty cases of LSS were randomly divided into a normal acupuncture group (30 cases) and a warming-promotion acupuncture group (30 cases). The two groups both chose Dazhui (GV 14), Mingmen (GV 4), Jiaji (EX-B 2),etc. Normal method without special manipulation was used in normal acupuncture group, while the warming-promotion manipulation was used in warming-promotion acupuncture group, all once daily, 10 treatments made one session. Compare the symptoms and spinal cord function of LSS, quality of life (QOL)and clinical effect in the two groups. RESULTS: The comprehensive score of symptoms of LSS in warming-promotion group 3 months after treatment was 6.30 +/- 1.92, while that in normal acupuncture group was 4.67 +/- 13.70. The score of spinal cord function in warming-promotion group after treatment was 7.03 +/- 1.03, while that in normal acupuncture group was 6.33 +/- 1.12. The score of QOL in warming-promotion group after treatment was 53.67 +/- 8.91, while that in normal acupuncture group was 64.50 +/- 16.69. All the differences between these scores in two groups were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% (27/30)in warming-promotion group, and 80.0% (24/30) in normal acupuncture group. The effect of warming-promotion group was better than that in normal acupuncture group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the field of treating LSS, the effect of warming-promotion acupuncture is better than normal acupuncture.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Spinal Stenosis/therapy , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Time , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
The efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) for treating patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS has been confirmed in the authors' former research, but the regulatory mechanism of EA in IBS is still unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the effect of EA on treating IBS rats and the activation and proliferation of mast cell (MC), the secretion of substance P(SP), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). The IBS rat model was set up with stress of binding limbs and colorectal distention. All rats were randomly assigned to four groups (Normal, Model, Tegaserod and EA). Hematoxylin and eosin staining has been used to observe the pathological change in the rats' colonic mucosa and an AWR scoring system has been applied to evaluate improvement of visceral hypersensitivity in various methods of the different groups. Toluidine blue improved method (TBI) and immunohistochemistry have also been involved in observations of mucous mast cells in the colon, change of c-fos positive cells, and secretion of SP, SPR, VIP, VIPR in the local colon. Firstly, the threshold of visceral sensitivity in the rats model with IBS was remarkably reduced (P < 0.01). The MC count in colonic mucosa and c-fos positive cells count increased significantly (P < 0.01) with positive correlation within each. Secondly, EA on ST-25 and Tegaserod pouring into the stomach can inhibit the proliferation and activation of MC in the colon and regulate secretion of SP, SPR, VIP, VIPR (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while the effect of EA is obviously superior to Tegaserod. We concluded, firstly, that the abnormal proliferation and activation of mucous mast cells in the colon, and oversecretion of neuropeptides such as SP, VIP and their receptors could be one of key mechanisms of etiology of IBS. Secondly, the inhibition of activation and proliferation and the secretion of SP, VIP could be major effects of EA when treating rats with IBS.
Subject(s)
Electroacupuncture/methods , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/therapy , Substance P/metabolism , Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism , Animals , Immunohistochemistry , Indoles/pharmacology , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/metabolism , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/physiopathology , Male , Mast Cells/physiology , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of warmth-promotion needling on cerebral malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity so as to explore its underlying mechanism in improving vascular dementia (VD). METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomized into control, model, medication, needle-twirling and warmth-promotion groups with 8 cases in each. VD model was established by occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries and reperfusion in combination with intraperitoneal injection of sodium nitroprusside (2.5 mg/kg). Warmth-promotion needling was applied to "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Shuigou" (GV 26). Rats of medication group were intragastric perfusion of Nimodipine suspension (0.0108 g/kg). The treatment was given once daily continuously for 15 days. SOD and AChE activity and MDA content of the brain (right side) tissue were detected with purine oxidase method, hydroxylamine chromatometry and thio-malonylurea method separately. RESULTS: In comparison with control group. SOD activity of model group decreased significantly (P < 0.01), AChE activity and MDA content increased considerably (P < 0.01); while compared with model group, SOD activity of warmth-promotion, needle-twirling and medication groups raised evidently (P < 0.01), AChE activity and MDA content of the later 3 groups lowered significantly (P < 0.05, 0.01). The effects of warmth-promotion group were significantly superior to that of medication group in lowering MDA content and to those of needle-twirling group in raising SOD activity and lowering AChE activity and MDA content (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Warmth-promotion needling can function well in resisting lipid peroxidation injury and lowering AChE activity in VD rats, which may contribute to its effect in improving learning-memory ability.
Subject(s)
Acetylcholinesterase/metabolism , Acupuncture Therapy/methods , Dementia, Vascular/therapy , Malondialdehyde/analysis , Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism , Animals , Dementia, Vascular/metabolism , Female , Male , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of "Warmth-producing Needling for Removing Obstruction" (WPNRO) on the pathomorphological changes of brain and learning-memory abilities in vascular dementia (VD) rats. METHODS: A total of 50 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control, model, medication, needle-twirling, and WPNRO groups, with 10 cases in each group. VD model was established by repeated cerebral ischemia-reperfusion via repeated occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries under anesthesia (3% embutal 40 mg/kg, i.p.). "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Baihui"(GV 20) and "Shuigou"(GV 26) were punctured with filiform needles and stimulated with twirling technique and WPNRO technique respectively and continuously for 1 min. Animals of medication group were fed with Nimodipine (0.0108 g/kg). The treatment was conducted once daily continuously for 15 days. The rats' learning and memory results were detected respectively with step-down avoidance test in the first 6 days' training and 24 h later. At the end of experiments and after decapitation, the right brain was taken, cut into sections (5 microm) and stained with H & E method for observing structural changes of hippocampus. RESULTS: 1) Behavior reactions: compared with control group, the latency for finding the safe platform and the times of error in model group increased significantly, and compared with model group, both latencies and times of error in WPNRO, needle-twirling and medication groups decreased considerably (P < 0.05, 0.01). In comparison with needle-twirling group, both latencies and times of error in WPNRO group were significantly fewer (P < 0.05, 0.01), and no significant differences were found between WPNRO and medication groups in these two indexes (P > 0.05). It indicated that acupuncture particularly WPNRO could improve both learning and memory abilities in VD rats. 2) Structural changes of neurons in CA1 region of hippocampus: in normal group, the neurons arranged in order and closely, and were normal in the structure; in model group, the neurons arranged obviously in disorder, had karyopyknosis and hyperplasia in glial cells and decreased in the number. In WPNRO group, no evident cellular karyopyknosis or hyperplasia of glial cells was found, and the structure and number of cells were close to those of normal group. In acupuncture and medication groups, fewer neurons, cellular karyopyknosis and hyperplasia of more glial cells were found. CONCLUSION: "Warming-producing Needling for Removing Obstruction" can significantly relieve cerebral ischemia induced disturbance of learning and memory and lessen structural injury of hippocampal neurons in rats.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Avoidance Learning , Dementia, Vascular/therapy , Hippocampus/pathology , Memory , Animals , Dementia, Vascular/pathology , Dementia, Vascular/psychology , Female , Male , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Reaction TimeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of scalp catgut embedding for treatment of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Parkinson's disease model rats were prepared, and randomly divided into a model group, scalp acupuncture group, medication group, with a control group set up. The scalp acupuncture group were treated with catgut embedding at "the chorea-trembling conroued area" lateral to "Baihui" (GV 20) and the medication group with intra-gastric perfusion of L-dopa suspension. After treatment for 30 days, behavior indexes were investigated and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the brain were detected. RESULTS: MDA content in the brain of the model rats were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), NO level significantly increased (P < 0.05) by scalp catgut embedding, with no significant change of SOD activity (P > 0.05); and the behavior indexes and tissue and form of the brain had significant improvement. CONCLUSION: Scalp catgut embedding has regulative action on anti-oxidant enzyme system in the Parkinson's disease rats, has significant improvement of cells, tissues and form of the brain.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy/methods , Catgut , Malondialdehyde/analysis , Nitric Oxide/analysis , Parkinson Disease/therapy , Scalp , Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism , Animals , Female , Male , Parkinson Disease/metabolism , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
LU Shou-yan is a famous acupuncture and moxibustion expert of our country in modern time. He bent himself to the cause of acupuncture and moxibustion throughout his life, propagated acupuncture and moxibustion in the adverse circumstances, and devoted himself to the education of acupuncture and moxibustion, giving no thought to personal safety; for perfecting theory of acupuncture and moxibustion, he studied intensively with great concentration, and creatively put forward effective methods of acupuncture and moxibustion; he earlier advocated experimental studies of acupuncture and moxibustion, promoting development of acupuncture and moxibustion sciences; he wrote books to expound theories, promoting propagation of acupuncture and moxibustion sciences. He contributes his lifetime for development of acupuncture and moxibustion cause.