ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of needling Baihui (GV20), Neiguan (PC6), Shenmen (HT7) and Taichong (LR3) on cerebral cortical blood oxygen level in rats with insomnia identified as liver- stagnation pattern in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. METHODS: Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank group ( 10), the rest of the rats were clamped tail as stimulation combined with injected intraperitoneally p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) to establish sleep deprivation model. After the successful replication of the model, they were randomly divided into model group, grabbing group, Western Medicine group, acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group, with 10 rats in each group. The model group was given normal saline; The grasping group was grasped in the same way as the two treatment groups; Western medicine group was given estazolam solution; The acupuncture group was treated with the acupuncture method of "soothing the liver and regulating mind" needling Baihui (GV20), Neiguan (PC6), Shenmen (HT7) and Taichong (LR3); The sham acupuncture group were needled with four non-acupoint sites. After 7 d of treatment of rats in each group, sodium pentobarbital sleep experiment was used to evaluate the sleep latency (SL) and sleep time (ST). The percentage of rats entering the open arm (OE%) and the percentage of time entering the open arm (OT%) in each group were monitored by elevated cross maze, and the vertical score, horizontal crossing times, central grid score and modification times were monitored by open field test, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRs) was used to monitor the changes of oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb), deoxyhemoglobin (Deoxy-Hb) and total hemoglobin (Total-Hb) in the cerebral cortex of rats in each group under light stimulation and dark stimulation, the statistically significant channel combinations were selected from 8 light sources and 12 detectors (S-D). According to the position of the light source detector covering the cerebral cortex, Preliminarily determine the key brain areas of insomnia (the preliminary experiment found that 6S-8D and 7S-9D were the key channels of insomnia under light stimulation, and the corresponding brain areas were prefrontal lobe and occipital lobe respectively; 7S-7D channel under dark stimulation, and the corresponding brain area was occipital lobe); The hemodynamic map of cerebral cortex was constructed through the absolute value of whole brain blood oxygen level. Further identify key brain regions for insomnia. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, ST, OE%, OT%, the vertical score, horizontal crossing times, central grid score, the concentration of Deoxy-Hb in prefrontal and occipital lobes were decreased significantly (<0.01), and the concentrations of SL, modification times, Oxy-Hb and Total-Hb were increased significantly (<0.01); There was no difference in the above indexes between the model group and the grabbing group (>0.05); After treatment, ST, OE%, OT%, the vertical score, horizontal crossing times, central grid score and Deoxy-Hb concentration in acupuncture group and Western medicine group increased significantly, while SL, modification times, Oxy-Hb and Total-Hb concentrations were decreased significantly (<0.01, <0.05), Compared with the Western Medicine group, the values of OE% and OT% were more significantly higher in the acupuncture group (<0.05), while the rest of the indexes were not significantly different between the two groups (>0.05); Compared with the acupuncture group, ST, OE%, OT%, the vertical score, horizontal crossing times, central grid score and the concentration of deoxy Hb in the sham acupuncture group decreased significantly (<0.01), and the concentrations of SL, modification times, Oxy-Hb and Total-Hb increased significantly (<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The needling method for soothing the liver and regulating mind could improve the abnormal behavior of insomnia rats with liver stagnation, and its effect on the improvement of abnormal mood caused by insomnia with liver stagnation is better than that of Western Medicine, and the mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of blood oxygen metabolism in the prefrontal and occipital lobes of the cerebral cortex by acupuncture.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders , Rats , Animals , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/therapy , Oxygen Saturation , Rats, Wistar , Acupuncture Points , Cerebral Cortex , HemoglobinsABSTRACT
Depressive disorder seriously affects people's physical and mental health.Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for depression,yet,its mechanism is unclear.Therefore,acupuncture's action mechanism in intervening depression was summarized from several perspectives,including morphology and ultrastructure of neurons in depression-related brain areas,function and structure of glial cells,brain functional and structural connectivity,and neuroelectrophysiology.It's discovered that acupuncture can repair the morphological and ultrastructural damage of neurons in the hippocampus and prefrontal lobe,mitigate the functional and structural injuries of glial cells in the hippocampus and prefrontal lobe,strengthen functional connectivity and heal structural connection,and promote neuroelectrophysiological activities,which possibly are the principal mechanisms of how acupuncture works in intervening depressive disorder.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the abnormal changes in neuroelectric activity in the primary visual cortex of rats deprived of vision in one eye and to investigate the regulatory effect of acupuncture in the sensitive period on the abnormal coding and conduction of electrical signals of rats' optic neurons.Methods: Sixty 14-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, an early-stage acupuncture group, a middle-stage acupuncture group, and a late-stage acupuncture group, with 12 rats in each group. Rats in every group except the blank group received right eyelid suturing to create a monocular deprivation model in the sensitive period of visual development (from the day rats open their eyes to the 45th day after their birth). Rats in the three acupuncture groups started to undergo acupuncture respectively on the 3rd, 12th, and 21st days after the model replication was done, with each group receiving nine-day treatment. The activity level of the neuroelectrical signal of the primary visual cortex in each group, including the latency and amplitude of P100 wave, average discharge frequency and amplitude of neurons, the power spectral density (PSD), and interspike interval (ISI), were measured by neuroelectric evaluation technology after the acupuncture treatment was finished. Results: Compared with the blank group, the latency of P100 wave in the visual center of vision-deprived eyes was significantly prolonged, and the amplitude was significantly reduced (P<0.05); the average discharge frequency and amplitude of the neurons in the visual cortex also decreased significantly (P<0.05); PSD decreased and ISI was prolonged significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the abnormal electrical activity of optic neurons in the three acupuncture groups ameliorated, the latency of P100 shortened, and the amplitude of P100 increased (P<0.05), the discharge frequency and amplitude increased significantly (P<0.05), the PSD reduced, and the ISI shortened (P<0.05). In addition, among the three acupuncture groups, the early-stage acupuncture group had the best effect on various indicators. Conclusion: Abnormal electrophysiological activity is significant in the visual center of vision-deprived rats, and acupuncture treatment in the sensitive period of visual development can enhance the bioelectrical activity of visual nerve cells, improve the efficiency of optic nerve conduction, and regulate the inhibition and retardation of visual response caused by visual deprivation.
ABSTRACT
Pain is a complex physiological and psychological activity, involving at least three dimensions, including pain sensation, pain emotion, and pain cognition. Acupuncture can clearly relieve the pain sensation of patients and improve pain emotion and pain cognition induced by pain; acupuncture participates in the multi-dimensional regulation of pain through brain regions of the limbic system such as anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala (AMY), and hippocampus. By analyzing relevant literature, it has been found that the regulation of acupuncture on pain emotion is mainly related to the activation of pertinent opioid receptors in the ACC, the decrease of the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and the promotion of the expression of glutamic acid (Glu) A1, metabotropic glutamate receptor-1 (mGluR1), and γ-aminobutyric acid aminobutyric acid (GABA) B2 protein in the AMY. The regulation of acupuncture on pain cognition is mainly related to the elevation of the expression of protein kinase A (PKA) and phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (phospho-p38 MAPK) and the inhibition of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/PKA/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway in the ACC.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the electrophysiological mechanism of acupuncture for the visual cortex plasticity during the sensitive period. Methods: Fifty 2-week-old Wistar rats were randomly divided into a blank control group, a model group, an early-stage acupuncture group, a middle-stage acupuncture group and a late-stage acupuncture group, 10 rats in each group. Monocular deprivation amblyopia models were prepared in rats except those in the blank control group by unilateral eyelid suture. After successful modeling, no treatment was applied to the rats in the model group. Rats in each acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at bilateral Jingming (BL 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Fengchi (GB 20) and Guangming (GB 37), started from the 3rd day, 12th day or 21st day after modeling separately, once a day, for a total of 9 d treatment. The neuronal discharge frequency and action potential inter-spike interval (ISI) in the rat visual cortex area 17 of each group were measured by multi-channel microelectrode array nerve signal technique. Results: The discharge number of neurons in the visual cortex of the model group was significantly lower than that in the blank control group (P0.05). The discharge number in the middle-stage acupuncture group was lower than that in the early-stage acupuncture group (P<0.05), and the discharge number of the late-stage acupuncture group was lower than that in the middle-stage acupuncture group (P<0.05). The ISI sequences of the visual cortex neurons were mainly distributed under 0.3 s in the blank control group, under 15 s in the model group, under 1 s in the early-stage acupuncture group, under 4 s in the middle-stage acupuncture group, and under 10 s in the late-stage acupuncture group, divergent in each group. Conclusion: The neuronal coding appears abnormality in the visual cortex area 17 of monocular deprivation rats, indicating that there is a plasticity change in the visual cortex neurons during the sensitive period. Acupuncture has a significant effect on the abnormal neural coding. The therapeutic efficacy is closely related to the stage to start the treatment. Early stage treatment in the sensitive period is the key to achieving the good efficacy.
ABSTRACT
Through analyzing the research literature about the mechanism of acupuncture intervention on vision in recent years, this article reviewed the mechanism of acupuncture intervention on vision from the aspects of central processing of visual information, the influnce of information transmission in the retina, the changes in visual microcirculation, optic nerve and neurotransmitter transmission, visual electrophysiology, visual plasticity. This article also proposed the future research idea for this field.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the molecular biological mechanism of acupuncture in intervening visual deprivation. Methods: Forty-eight 2-week old Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, and 6 acupuncture groups (group C1: acupuncture at the unaffected side in early stage; group C2: acupuncture at the affected side in early stage; group D1: acupuncture at the unaffected side in mid-stage; group D2: acupuncture at the affected side in mid-stage; group E1: acupuncture at the unaffected side in late stage; group E2: acupuncture at the affected side in late stage) by the random number table, 6 rats in each group. Rats in the normal group didn’t receive any interventions. The rat model of deprivation amblyopia was established by unilateral eyelid suture in the model group and each acupuncture group. After successful modeling, rats in model group didn’t receive any treatments; rats in the acupuncture groups received acupuncture intervention which began respectively on the 3rd, 12th and 21st day after modeling. Pattern visual evoked potential (P-VEP) and N-methy D-aspartatreceptor-1 (NMDAR1) mRNA expression in visual cortex area 17 were detected at the end of acupuncture intervention in each group. Results: After the intervention, the P-VEP waveform was significantly changed, with a significantly delayed P100 value (P0.05). Conclusion: P-VEP waveform is abnormal and NMDAR1 mRNA expression in visual cortex area 17 is decreased in rats with monocularly-deprived amblyopia. Acupuncture in the sensitive period can significantly regulate the abnormal P-VEP waveform and the down-regulate the NMDAR1 mRNA expression of the visual cortex of rats with monocularly-deprived amblyopia. Early treatment in the sensitive period should be the key to obtaining the curative effect.
ABSTRACT
'Three-acupoint and Five-needle Method' is a summary of Prof. Shao Jing-ming's clinical experience in the treatment of asthma for years. It is used to alleviate asthma during seizure and to improve the pulmonary functions, strengthen the body constitution and prevent recurrence in the remission stage. This article introduces the theoretic source and basic principle, and concrete operating method, i.e. puncturing bilateral Feishu (BL 13), Dazhui (GV 14) and bilateral Fengmen (BL 12), and adding acupoints based upon pattern identification, in combination of moxibustion and cupping therapy for promoting the clinical application of this method.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the effect of needling Hegu (LI 4) on functions of the prefrontal cortex using the functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: A total of 12 healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to an acupuncture group (n=6) and a control group (n=6). The control group received no intervention. The acupuncture group received needling Hegu (LI 4) on the right side. The real-time concentration changes of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2), deoxygenated hemoglobin (d-Hb) and total hemoglobin (t-Hb) in the prefrontal cortex were recorded using the fNIRS, allowing for effect analysis of needling Hegu (LI 4) on the functions of the prefrontal cortex. Results: Compared with the control group, the HbO2 and t-Hb concentrations were increased in the acupuncture group and there were between-group statistical significances (bothP0.05). Conclusion: Needling Hegu (LI 4) can extensively activate the prefrontal cortex and therefore has significant effect on the functions of the brain's prefrontal cortex.
ABSTRACT
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease. Moxibustion treatment for RA has significant efficacy, with high security and without dependency. It can alleviate the symptoms and make the body gradually return to normal level of immunity at the same time. This article reviewed the study on mechanism of moxibustion for the treatment of RA in recent years from the aspects of innate immunity, humeral immunity, cellular immunity, cytokines and immune organs, discussed the existing problems in relevant study, and provided a basis for clinic and future research.
ABSTRACT
Background The conventional therapies for childhood amblyopia mainly include optometry,occluding therapy,atropine application,fine eyesight training,instrument or regular comprehensive therapy,but the clinical effectiveness of each method had its limitation.Chinese herbs have been used to the treatment of childhood amblyopia,however,their effects are still in controversy.Objective This study was to assess the evidence of efficacy of Chinese herbs combined with moderate methods for childhood amblyopia.Methods The published papers of randomized controlled trials (RCT) and controlled clinical trials (CCT) of Chinese herbs combined with moderate comprehensive therapy for childhood amblyopia from 2000 to 2015 were searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI),Wanfang database and PubMed database with computer.The methodology quality of included papers was evaluated according to the criteria of Cochrane and advanced Jadad scale.Data synthesis was facilitated using Reviewer Manager 5.1 software.The overall effect,or odds ratio (OR) of the treatment was analyzed by fixed effective model.Results Thirty-three RCT or CCT papers meeting inclusion criteria were included with the total sample size 6 666,and matched demography was showed in 25 papers;referential diagnosis criteria and effective criteria were described in 29 papers and 30 papers,respectively.Advanced Jadad scale showed 6,3 and 1-2 scores in 1,2 and 30 papers,respectively.The evidence showed that the total effectiveness of treatment within the group receiving Chinese herbs combined with conventional methods was higher than that in conventional group,with a statistically significant difference between groups (polled fixed effects model [OR] =3.92,95％ confidence interval [CI]:3.30-4.64,Z=15.74,P＜0.01).Conclusions The total effectiveness rate of Chinese herbs combined with conventional methods for childhood amblyopia is superior to only conventional treatment,indicating that Chinese herbs is effective for childhood amblyopia.More well-designed RCTs are needed to confirm the effect.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To preliminarily explore the electrophysiological mechanism of acupuncture on plasticity variability of visual cortex.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty 14-day-old Wistar rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, an early-stage acupuncture group, a middle-stage acupuncture group and a late-stage acupuncture group, 10 rats in each one. Except the blank group, the rats in the remaining groups were treated with eyelid suture to establish the model of monocular deprivation amblyopia. After model establishment, the rats in the blank group and model group were grasped without any intervention everyday. The rats in the acupuncture groups were treated with acupuncture at bilateral "Jingming" (BL 1), "Cuanzhu" (BL 2), "Fengchi" (GB 20) and "Guangming" (GB 37) on the 3rd, 12th and 21st days into model establishment. The needles were retained for 10 min, once a day for totally 9 days. After treatment, the M-NEMEA technology was applied to measure the discharge amplitude and power spectral density of visual cortex area 17 neuron of each group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the blank group, the number of discharged neuron of visual cortex area 17 was reduced, and the amplitude was significantly reduced in the model group (both<0.05). Compared with the model group, the numbers of discharged neuron were increased, and the amplitudes were significantly increased in the early-stage acupuncture group and middle-stage acupuncture group (all<0.05). The neuron discharge amplitude in the early-stage acupuncture group was higher than those in the middle-stage acupuncture group and late-stage acupuncture group (both<0.05); the neuron discharge amplitude in the middle-stage acupuncture group was higher than that in the late-stage acupuncture group (<0.05). In the 120-second time domain of acquisition, the distribution of power spectral density in the blank group was mainly between -105 dB and -100 dB; compared with the blank group, the power spectral density in the model group was increased and distributed between -132 dB and -124 dB; compared with the model group, the power spectral densities in the acupuncture groups was reduced and distributed between -115 dB and -110 dB in the early-stage acupuncture group, -120 dB and -115 dB in the middle-stage acupuncture group and -129 dB and -122 dB in the late-stage acupuncture group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There are abnormal changes of spatiotemporal pattern in visual cortex area 17 of monocular deprivation rats, but acupuncture can regulate abnormal spatiotemporal pattern of neuron. Therefore, there is developmental plasticity of visual cortex neuron in the sensitive period, and early treatment is key to superior efficacy.</p>
ABSTRACT
Obesity often results when regular caloric intake exceeds the energy expenditure. Hypothalamus is the center that regulates feeding and energy balance inside the body, especially the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) and ventromedial nucleus (VMN). Acupuncture-moxibustion has achieved significant progress in treating simple obesity, and the relevant studies have revealed the central action mechanism underlying the treatment. By reviewing the literatures associated with the mechanism studies on acupuncture-moxibustion for simple obesity, this article is going to provide clinical and scientific guidance for the treatment of simple obesity with acupuncture-moxibustion.
ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the efficacy of Zheng’s “gold hook fishing acupuncture” in the treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis. Methods Sixty patients were randomly divided into gold hook fishing group and reinforcing-reducing group, with 30 cases in each group. Gold hook fishing group chose the main points from the Tianzong (SI11), Bingfeng (SI12), Jiajixue (double EX-B2), Binao (LI14), Jianyu (LI15), Jianliao (SJ14), Jianzhen (SI9), Ashi, Naoshu (SI10), Quchi (LI11), Waiguan (SJ5), Hegu (LI4), Houxi (SI3), Tiaokou (ST38) and Chengshan (BL57). Needles were pierced at tendon junction points and Ashi points, and golden hook fishing acupuncture was operated. Other points were given reinforcing-reducing method. The reinforcing-reducing group was treated with reinforcing-reducing method at points the same as gold hook fishing group. Patients were treated once a day for 2 courses, 5 days as a treatment course. The pain visual analogue scale (VAS), shoulder range of motion (ROM), and ability of daily life (ADL) were observed before and after treatment to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Results The total effective rate of gold hook fishing group was 90.0% (27/30), better than the reinforcing-reducing group 83.3% (25/30, P<0.05); VAS pain score, ROM score and ADL score before and after treatment in the two groups were improved to some extent (P<0.05), and scores in the golden hook fishing group were improved more significantly compared with reinforcing-reducing group (P<0.05). Conclusion Zheng’s gold hook fishing acupuncture can effectively improve the clinical symptoms and signs of patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis and their life quality.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the clinical effects of aligned needling therapy for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH). Methods:A total of 80 cases with LIDH in conformity with the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a treatment group or a control group by their visit order, 40 cases in each group. The points from the Governor Vessel, L1-L5 Jiaji (EX-B 2) points, from the first lateral line of the Bladder Meridian, Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) were selected for acupuncture in the treatment group. Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25), Ashi (Extra) points and Weizhong (BL 40) were used for routine acupuncture in the control group. The clinical effects of the two groups after 2-course treatments and recurrence rates three months later were observed. The pain severity before and after treatments was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS). The improvement of the patient’s pathological situation was evaluated by the performance assessment of lumbar disease treatment from Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA). Results:After the treatment for two courses, there was no dropped-out case in the two groups. The curative rates and total effective rates were respectively 32.5% and 92.5% in the treatment group versus respectively 12.5% and 82.5% in the control group. The differences in the curative rates and total effective rates between the two groups were statistically significant (bothP Conclusion:The aligned needling technique is remarkable in the clinical effects, obvious in the analgesic effects and low in the recurrence rate in the treatment of LIDH.
ABSTRACT
‘Warming-dredging needling technique’ is one of the specific needling techniques created by Prof. Zheng Kui-shan for treating intractable and difficult diseases. Developed from ‘Shao Shan Huo (Mountain-burning Fire)’ and ‘warming- reinforcing method’, this method displays the effects of ‘warming’, ‘dredging’ and ‘reinforcing’. The ‘scapula-penetrating heat’ and ‘eye-transmitting heat’ belong to the representative needling techniques of ‘warming-dredging needling technique’. In order to promote the clinical application of ‘warming-dredging needling technique’, its theoretical foundation and clinical experience are summarized.
ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the therapeutic efficacy of trigger points (TrPs) combined with acupoints by acupuncture for subjective tinnitus (ST);To discuss the correlation of TrPs acupuncture inactivation and the releasing of symptom. Methods Sixty patients with ST were randomly divided into trial group and control group, 30 cases in each group. Those in trial group were acupunctured by TrPs combined with acupoints, and those in control group received regular acupuncture treatment. The scores of tinnitus severity assessment were available for effect evaluation after 3 treatment course. The size and tenderness degree of TrPs contraction knots were checked, and TrPs local thermal infrared spectrum was compared by infrared camera. Results The post-treatment tinnitus severity scores had significant difference compared with pre-therapy in each group (P0.05). Conclusion TrPs combined with acupoints by acupuncture for ST patients are better than conventional acupoints in improving clinical symptoms. The deactivation of TrPs is closely related to tinnitus symptoms, therefore, temperature and tenderness of TrPs can be employed to assist in the diagnosis, or evaluated the tinnitus severity and therapeutic efficacy.
ABSTRACT
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder appearing after the body suffers from life-threatening or strong mental trauma. Acupuncture and moxibustion has good efficacy to PTSD caused by recent disaster events. This article summarized domestic research on mechanism of acupuncture intervention in PTSD in recent years, in order to analyze and conclude the neurobiological mechanism of acupuncture intervention in PTSD, and offer some references for the research on efficacy and clinical application of acupuncture intervention in PTSD.
ABSTRACT
To analyze the modern clinical literature on post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) treated with acupuncture and moxibustion so as to summarize the acupoints selection law. The related articles from 2005 to 2014 were collected and then the frequencies were statistically analyzed. Finally 16 papers were gathered,while the main acupoints among the 23 acupoints refer to Baihui(GV 20),Sishencong(EX-HN 1),Shenting(GV 24),Fengchi(GB 20),Shenmen(HT 7),Neiguan(PC 6),Taichong(LR 3) and Sanyinjiao(SP 6). It is concluded that the law means taking smoothing liver and governor vessel to regulate the spirit as priority,and assisted by nourishing kidney and supportingto peace the spirit,as well as strengthening spleen and helpingto smooth meridians.
ABSTRACT
Acupuncture-moxibustion material found instone chamber shows academic value on research of acupuncture-moxibustion in Tang Dynasty and before. In the paper we summarize its medical prescriptions and the existing acupoint application contents. It is considered that its acupoint application is widely clinically used in dermatological department, cosmetology department, ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology departments, paediatrics department, gynaecology department, anorectal department, orthopedics and traumatology department. It achieves remarkable effects in dermatological department, orthopedics and traumatology department. Medical literature ofis a treasure of TCM with distinctive feature and it deserves to be further explored so as to serve the clinic and promote the inheritance and development ofmedicine, such as finding out high effect prescription.