Removal of antimonite and antimonate in aqueous solution by mugwort biochar modified by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans after pyrolysis.

In the research, iron oxides-biochar composites (ALBC) were prepared from pristine biochar modified by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans) and pyrolyzed at 500 °C and 700 °C in order to remove antimonite (Sb(III)) and antimonate (Sb(V)) from water. The results indicated that biochar prepared at 500 °C and 700 °C (ALBC500 and ALBC700) were loaded with Fe2O3 and Fe3O4, respectively. In bacterial modification systems, ferrous iron and total iron concentrations decreased continuously. The pH values of bacterial modification systems including ALBC500 increased first and then decreased to a stable state, while the pH values of bacterial modification systems with ALBC700 continued to decrease. The bacterial modification systems can facilitate the formation of more jarosites by A. ferrooxidans. ALBC500 had optimal adsorbing capacities for Sb(III) (18.81 mg·g-1) and Sb(V) (14.64 mg·g-1). The main mechanisms of Sb(III) and Sb(V) adsorption by ALBC were electrostatic interaction and pore filling.

The inhibitory effect and mechanism of Resina Draconis on the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells: a network pharmacology-based analysis.

Resina Draconis (RD) is known as the "holy medicine for promoting blood circulation" and possesses antitumor properties against various types of cancer, including breast cancer (BC); however, the underlying mechanism is not well understood. To explore the potential mechanism of RD against BC using network pharmacology and experimental validation, data on bioactive compounds, potential targets of RD, and related genes of BC were obtained from multiple public databases. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses were performed via the DAVID database. Protein interactions were downloaded from the STRING database. The mRNA and protein expression levels and survival analysis of the hub targets were analyzed using the UALCAN, HPA, Kaplan‒Meier mapper, and cBioPortal databases. Subsequently, molecular docking was used to verify the selected key ingredients and hub targets. Finally, the predicted results of network pharmacology methods were verified by cell experiments. In total, 160 active ingredients were obtained, and 148 RD target genes for the treatment of BC were identified. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that RD exerted its therapeutic effects on BC by regulating multiple pathways. Of these, the PI3K-AKT pathway was indicated to play an important role. In addition, RD treatment of BC seemed to involve the regulation of hub targets that were identified based on PPI interaction network analysis. Validation in different databases showed that AKT1, ESR1, HSP90AA1, CASP3, SRC and MDM2 may be involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of BC and that ESR1, IGF1 and HSP90AA1 were correlated with worse overall survival (OS) in BC patients. Molecular docking results showed that 103 active compounds have good binding activity with the hub targets, among which flavonoid compounds were the most important active components. Therefore, the sanguis draconis flavones (SDF) were selected for subsequent cell experiments. The experimental results showed that SDF significantly inhibited the cell cycle and cell proliferation of MCF-7 cells through the PI3K/AKT pathway and induced MCF-7 cell apoptosis. This study has preliminarily reported on the active ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of RD against BC, and RD was shown to exert its therapeutic effects on BC by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway and related gene targets. Importantly, our work could provide a theoretical basis for further study of the complex anti-BC mechanism of RD.

Current status and trends of artificial intelligence research on the four traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic methods: a scientometric study.

Background: With the development of technology and the renewal of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnostic equipment, artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely applied in TCM. Numerous articles employing this technology have been published. This study aimed to outline the knowledge and themes trends of the four TCM diagnostic methods to help researchers quickly master the hotspots and trends in this field. Four TCM diagnostic methods is a TCM diagnostic method through inspection, listening, smelling, inquiring and palpation, the purpose of which is to collect the patient's medical history, symptoms and signs. Then, it provides an analytical basis for later disease diagnosis and treatment plans. Methods: Publications related to AI-based research on the four TCM diagnostic methods were selected from the Web of Science Core Collection, without any restriction on the year of publication. VOSviewer and Citespace were primarily used to create graphical bibliometric maps in this field. Results: China was the most productive country in this field, and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine published the largest number of related papers, and the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the dominant research organization. The Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine had the highest average number of citations. Jinhong Guo was the most influential author and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine was the most authoritative journal. Six clusters separated by keywords association showed the range of AI-based research on the four TCM diagnostic methods. The hotspots of AI-based research on the four TCM diagnostic methods included the classification and diagnosis of tongue images in patients with diabetes and machine learning for TCM symptom differentiation. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that AI-based research on the four TCM diagnostic methods is currently in the initial stage of rapid development and has bright prospects. Cross-country and regional cooperation should be strengthened in the future. It is foreseeable that more related research outputs will rely on the interdisciplinarity of TCM and the development of neural networks models.

The FabA-FabB Pathway Is Not Essential for Unsaturated Fatty Acid Synthesis but Modulates Diffusible Signal Factor Synthesis in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris.

Most bacteria use type II fatty acid synthesis (FAS) systems for synthesizing fatty acids, of which the conserved FabA-FabB pathway is considered to be crucial for unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) synthesis in gram-negative bacteria. Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, the phytopathogen of black rot disease in crucifers, produces higher quantities of UFAs under low-temperature conditions for increasing membrane fluidity. The fabA and fabB genes were identified in the X. campestris pv. campestris genome by BLAST analysis; however, the growth of the X. campestris pv. campestris fabA and fabB deletion mutants was comparable to that of the wild-type strain in nutrient and minimal media. The X. campestris pv. campestris ΔfabA and ΔfabB strains produced large quantities of UFAs and, altogether, these results indicated that the FabA-FabB pathway is not essential for growth or UFA synthesis in X. campestris pv. campestris. We also observed that the expression of X. campestris pv. campestris fabA and fabB restored the growth of the temperature-sensitive Escherichia coli fabA and fabB mutants CL104 and CY242, respectively, under non-permissive conditions. The in-vitro assays demonstrated that the FabA and FabB proteins of X. campestris pv. campestris catalyzed FAS. Our study also demonstrated that the production of diffusible signal factor family signals that mediate quorum sensing was higher in the X. campestris pv. campestris ΔfabA and ΔfabB strains and greatly reduced in the complementary strains, which exhibited reduced swimming motility and attenuated host-plant pathogenicity. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is simple, convenient, inexpensive, proven, extensive, and safe for acupuncture in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). However, there are no comparisons between various acupuncture therapies that can directly and effectively provide specific guidance to clinicians. The development of a guideline for the optimization of acupuncture for PHN is of great importance for the development of clinical acupuncture. Therefore, we attempted to design a study protocol for a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for PHN to provide evidence to support the treatment of acupuncture for PHN. METHODS: A search of 8 databases, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang, China Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science, was conducted to collect randomized controlled trials about acupuncture for PHN. RevMan 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software were used for data analysis. RESULTS: This meta-analysis will provide additional and more robust evidence for acupuncture treatment of PHN. Our findings will assist clinicians in making treatment decisions. CONCLUSION: This study will provide comprehensive and reliable evidence-based evidence for the treatment of PHN with acupuncture.

The synergy of dietary supplements Lactobacillus salivarius LI01 and Bifidobacterium longum TC01 in alleviating liver failure in rats treated with D-galactosamine.

Lactobacillus salivarius (L. salivarius) has been widely used in dietary supplements and clinical treatments. Previous studies demonstrated the protective effect of L. salivarius LI01 on liver injury induced by D-galactosamine (D-GaIN) in rats. Accumulating evidence indicates that Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are highly coordinated; so in this study, we focus on the synergistic effect of L. salivarius LI01 and B. longum TC01 on the alleviation of liver injury caused by D-GaIN in rats and aim to find out the underlying interaction between the two strains. We observed reduced hepatic damage in the D-GaIN-treated rats with probiotic pre-administration, characterized by lower levels of AST and ALT (p < 0.05) and decreased HAI (Histological Activity Index) scores. Moreover, cotreatment with LI01 and TC01 more effectively decreases proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, MCP-1 and M-CSF (p < 0.05) so as to inhibit systemic inflammation. Gut barrier dysfunction was ameliorated with compound probiotic pretreatment, as evidenced by the ultrastructure integrity, decreased histological score and elevated TJP-1 expression. What's more, supplementation with LI01 and TC01 markedly alleviates gut dysbiosis in the G-DaIN-treated rats, with enrichment of short chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers Faecalibaculum and Eubacterium_xylanophilum_group, a decreased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and depletion of proinflammatory microbes, such as Peptococcaeae and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005. This study highlights the synergistic effect of dietary supplements LI01 and TC01 on the protection against liver failure, which is probably via altering gut microbiota.

Lactobacillus salivarius LI01 encapsulated in alginate-pectin microgels ameliorates D-galactosamine-induced acute liver injury in rats.

Acute liver failure is a clinical emergency associated with high mortality. Accumulating evidence indicates that gut microbiota participates in the progression of liver injury, and preventive therapies based on altering gut microbiota are of great interest. Previous studies demonstrated that Lactobacillus salivarius LI01 attenuates hepatic injury, though efficiency in curtailed in the harsh environment in the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, a system to encapsulate LI01 in alginate-pectin (AP) microgels was investigated. Encapsulation significantly enhances probiotic viability for long-term storage and heat treatment, and in simulated gastrointestinal fluids (SGF or SIF) and bile salt solutions. Acute liver injury was induced in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by D-galactosamine (D-GaIN) injection following pretreatment with probiotics. Liver and gut barrier function, cytokines, liver and gut histology, bacterial translocation, and gut microbiota were assessed. Administration of encapsulated LI01 more effectively upregulates hepatic anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and TLR-3, restores expressions of gut barrier biomarkers Claudin-1 and MUC2 and attenuates destruction of mucosal ultrastructure compared with unencapsulated probiotics pretreatment. Pretreatment with AP-LI01 microgels altered the microbial community, decreasing the abundance of pathogenic taxa Ruminiclostridium, Dorea and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-004 and enriching beneficial taxa Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Eubacterium, and Prevotella_1 that produce short-chain fatty acids. These results suggest that AP encapsulation of LI01 boosts viability and attenuates liver injury by reducing inflammation and restoring intestinal barrier function. These beneficial effects are probably due to alternation of gut flora. These findings provide new insight into encapsulation technology and prevention of liver failure. KEY POINTS: • Alginate-pectin encapsulation enhances the viability of Lactobacillus salivarius LI01 under simulated commercial conditions and simulated gastrointestinal environment. • AP-LI01 microgel attenuates hepatic and intestinal inflammation and restores gut barrier function. • AP-LI01 microgel alters gut microbial community with increased SCFAs producers and decreased pathogenic microbes. • Beneficial improvements after administration of probiotics are highly associated with alternation of gut microbial community.

Effect of Yiqi Huoxue Recipe on Vascular Endothelial Function in Rats with Qi Deficiency and Blood Stasis Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To explore the changes and benefits of vascular endothelial cell function in rats with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, and the effect of Yiqi Huoxue recipe (YQHXF) of such changes. Method: Rats were randomly divided into blank control group, Qi deficiency and blood stasis group, and YQHXF high and low dose groups (5.54,2.77 g·kg-1). A small platform of water environment was used to make the rats stand for a long-term with irregular and incomplete sleep deprivation, 16 h per day for six weeks, so that both mentality and labor of rats were consumed to establish qi deficiency and blood stasis rat models. From the fifth week, intragastric administration was given for 2 weeks, until end of the experiment. Then levels of endothelin-1(ET-1), von willebrand factor (vWF), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), P-selectin,interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rat plasma were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and nitric oxide (NO) was detected by nitrate reductase assay. Result:Compared with blank control group, rats in Qi deficiency and blood stasis group showed rough and dark hair, with significantly decreased body weight and pulse amplitude (PPPα were abnormally increased after sleep deprivation (PPPPPPPConclusion:Sleep deprivation can induce the formation of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in rats, and lead to vascular endothelial dysfunction. YQHXF has the function of protecting the vascular endothelium. It can improve the Qi deficiency and blood stasis symptoms in rats with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome by regulating the secretion of vascular endothelial active substances, reducing cell adhesion and inhibiting inflammation.

Hispidulin induces ER stress-mediated apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo by activating AMPK signaling pathway.

Hispidulin (4',5,7-trihydroxy-6-methoxyflavone) is a phenolic flavonoid isolated from the medicinal plant S. involucrata, which exhibits anti-neoplastic activity against several types of cancer. However, the mechanism underlying its anti-cancer activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether and how hispidulin-induced apoptosis of human HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. We showed that hispidulin (10, 20 µmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited cell growth and promoted apoptosis through mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in human HCC SMMC7721 cells and Huh7 cells. More importantly, we revealed that its pro-apoptotic effects depended on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and unfolded protein response (UPR), as pretreatment with salubrinal, a selective ERS inhibitor, or shRNA targeting a UPR protein CHOP effectively abrogated hispidulin-induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we showed that hispidulin-induced apoptosis was mediated by activation of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway as pretreatment with Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, or AMPK-targeting siRNA reversed the pro-apoptotic effect of hispidulin. In HCC xenograft nude mice, administration of hispidulin (25, 50 mg/kg every day, ip, for 27 days) dose-dependently suppressed the tumor growth, accompanied by inducing ERS and apoptosis in tumor tissue. Taken together, our results demonstrate that hispidulin induces ERS-mediated apoptosis in HCC cells via activating the AMPK/mTOR pathway. This study provides new insights into the anti-tumor activity of hispidulin in HCC.

Therapeutic Effect of Blueberry Extracts for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy with high incidence in the aging population. In addition, AML is one of the more common pediatric malignancies. Unfortunately, both of these patient groups are quite sensitive to chemotherapy toxicities. Investigation of blueberries specifically as an anti-AML agent has been limited, despite being a prominent natural product with no reported toxicity. In this study, blueberry extracts are reported for the first time to exert a dietary therapeutic effect in animal models of AML. Furthermore, in vitro studies revealed that blueberry extracts exerted anti-AML efficacy against myeloid leukemia cell lines as well as against primary AML, and specifically provoked Erk and Akt regulation within the leukemia stem cell subpopulation. This study provides evidence that blueberries may be unique sources for anti-AML biopharmaceutical compound discovery, further warranting fractionation of this natural product. More so, blueberries themselves may provide an intriguing dietary option to enhance the anti-AML efficacy of traditional therapy for subsets of patients that otherwise may not tolerate rigorous combinations of therapeutics.

Delayed Treatment with Green Tea Polyphenol EGCG Promotes Neurogenesis After Ischemic Stroke in Adult Mice.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3­gallate (EGCG), the predominant constituent of green tea, has been demonstrated to be neuroprotective against acute ischemic stroke. However, the long-term actions of EGCG on neurogenesis and functional recovery after ischemic stroke have not been identified. In this study, C57BL/6 mice underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (60 min) followed by reperfusion for 28 days. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) were isolated from ipsilateral subventricular zone (SVZ) at 14 days post-ischemia (dpi). The effects of EGCG on the proliferation and differentiation of NPCs were examined in vivo and in vitro. Behavioral assessments were made 3 days before MCAO and at 28 dpi. SVZ NPCs were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro to mimic the inflammatory response after ischemic stroke. We found that 14 days treatment with EGCG significantly increased the proliferation of SVZ NPCs and the migration of SVZ neuroblasts, as well as functional recovery, perhaps through M2 phenotype induction in microglia. LPS stimulation promoted the neuronal differentiation in cultured NPCs from the ischemic SVZ. EGCG treatment (20 or 40 µM) further significantly increased the neuronal differentiation of LPS-stimulated SVZ NPCs. After screening for multiple signaling pathways, the AKT signaling pathway was found to be involved in EGCG-mediated proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NPCs in vitro. Taken together, our results reveal a previously uncharacterized role of EGCG in the augment of proliferation and neuronal differentiation of SVZ NPCs and subsequent spontaneous recovery after ischemic stroke. Thus, the beneficial effects of EGCG on neurogenesis and stroke recovery should be considered in developing therapeutic approaches.

Simultaneous determination of seven constituents in Euodiae Fructus and two related species by HPLC / 中国中药杂志

This study is to develop a HPLC method for quality evaluation of Euodiae Fructus and related species by simultaneous determination limonin, indole alkaloids (14-fomyldihydroxyrutaecarpine, evodiamine, rutaecarpine), and quinolone alkaloids [1-methyl-2-undecyl-4 (1H)-quinolone, evocarpine, dihydroevocarpine] in the fruits of five Evodia species. Samples were analyzed on a YMC C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted with mobile phases of acetonitrile (A), tetrahydrofuran (B), and a buffer solution of 5 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate (pH 3.8) (C) in a linear gradient mode. The column temperature was 30 degrees C and the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The PDA detector wavelengths were set at 220 and 250 nm. The seven compounds were well separated and showed good linearity (r = 0.999 9) within the concentration ranges tested. The mean recoveries were between 96.7%-102.4% (RSD 1.4%-3.1%). Through the validation, the method was proved to be accurate and repeatable. All the seven constituents were detected in the fruits of five species, but the contents of them varied widely in different samples. The total contents of seven constituents in 16 batches of Euodiae Fructus were 9.46-69.9 mg x g(-1), and the mean content was 28.2 mg x g(-1). The total content of seven constituents in E. compacta and E. fargesii was 25.8, 7.69 mg x g(-1), respectively.

A systematic review of rivaroxaban versus enoxaparin in the prevention of venous thromboembolism after hip or knee replacement.

INTRODUCTIONS: Rivaroxaban is a novel Xa inhibitor with an encouraging anti-thrombosis effect. The aim of this study is to assess whether rivaroxaban is superior to enoxaparin in venous thromboembolism prevention after knee- or hip-joint replacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched for reports of randomized controlled trials on rivaroxaban versus enoxaparin in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after knee- or hip-joint replacement in the Cochrane library, Embase, Pubmed, the Ovid database, and Chinese databases including VIP, CNKI, and CBM. Correlated data was extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Eight studies involving 15246 patients were included, and all were randomized controlled studies. The methodological quality of six of the trials was generally moderate, while that of the remaining two was considered high quality. 10mg rivaroxaban daily is more effective than 40 mg/30 mg enoxaparin daily after the joint replacement in respect of the incidence of venous thromboembolism (P < 0.0001, RR = 0.38; P = 0.05, RR = 0.77, respectively). No significant difference between 10mg rivaroxaban daily and 40 mg/30 mg enoxaparin daily were found in major postoperative bleeding (P = 0.45, RR = 1.31;P = 0.34, RR = 1.61, respectively). With respect to other outcomes, rivaroxaban is not inferior to enoxaparin, while extended therapy with rivaroxaban (>30 d) is more effective than short-term therapy (<15 d) in relation to the incidence of venous thromboembolism (1.36% versus 10.13%). CONCLUSIONS: Rivaroxaban is superior to enoxaparin in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after hip- or knee-joint replacement. Extended therapy--longer than 30 d--is recommended.

Professional skill examination and standard training of anaesthesiology residents / 上海第二医科大学学报

Objective To evaluate the training quality of anaesthesiology residents in different hospitals. Methods The scores of 125 residents,attending Shanghai resident clinic skill examination from 2005 to 2007,were analyzed. ResultsThe scores of examinees from municipal hospitals were higher than those from district hospitals,municipal specialized hospitals and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals.The scores of practice part were higher than those of theory part in all groups. Conclusion The training quality is related to the comprehensive strength of the hospital in which examinees work,but the training of theory knowledge still need to be strengthened.

[Effects of Chinese herbs for replenishing qi and resolving stagnation on hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor in granulation tissue of skin ulcers in rats with diabetes].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Chinese herbs for replenishing qi and resolving stagnation on hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in granulation tissue of skin ulcers in rats with syndrome of blood stasis and qi deficiency. METHODS: Diabetic rats with back full-thickness skin lesion and syndrome of blood stasis and qi deficiency were divided in to five groups: untreated group, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-treated group, Yiqi Huayu Recipe (a recipe for replenishing qi and resolving stagnation)-treated group, Yiqi Recipe (a recipe for replenishing qi)-treated group and Huayu Recipe (a recipe for resolving stagnation)-treated group, and another eight normal rats served as normal control group. Immunohistochemical method and image analysis were used to test the expressions of HIF-1alpha and VEGF in granulation tissue of skin ulcers in rats with diabetes. RESULTS: In the untreated group, the expression of HIF-1alpha was significantly increased and the expression of VEGF was significantly decreased as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.01). The expression of HIF-1alpha was obviously lower (P<0.01) and the expression of VEGF was significantly higher in the four drug treated groups as compared with those in the untreated group. In the Yiqi Huayu Recipe-treated group, the expression of HIF-1alpha was obviously lower than those in the bFGF-treated, Yiqi Recipe-treated and Huayu Recipe-treated groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the expression of VEGF was significantly higher than that in the bFGF-treated group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Chinese herbs for replenishing qi and resolving stagnation can promote the wound healing in rats through reducing the expression of HIF-1alpha, accelerating the expression of VEGF in granulation tissue of skin ulcers in rats with diabetes and ameliorating the status of ischemia and hypoxia.

[Clinical observation on treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with cake-separated mild moxibustion combined with Western medicine].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect-increasing action of cake-separated mild moxibustion on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to probe a new method for RA. METHODS: Sixty cases were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group (n=30) were treated with oral administration of methotrexate (MTX) as basic treatment, and non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) according to conditions of the patient. The treatment group (n=30) were treated with the same treatment as the control group, and Fuzi case-separated moxibustion at Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) was added. They were treated for 3 months. RESULTS: After treatment of 3 months, the total effective rate was 83.3% in the treatment group, which was higher than 60.0% in the control group (P < 0.05); there were significant differences before and after treatment in all indexes in the two groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); the ratio of the patients who completely withdrew NSAIDs in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05); the rate of adverse reaction in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Fuzi cake-separated mild moxibustion can increase clinical therapeutic effect on RA and reduce dosage of NSAIDs.

Clinical observation on treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with cake-separated mild moxibustion combined with Western medicine / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect-increasing action of cake-separated mild moxibustion on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to probe a new method for RA.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty cases were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group (n=30) were treated with oral administration of methotrexate (MTX) as basic treatment, and non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) according to conditions of the patient. The treatment group (n=30) were treated with the same treatment as the control group, and Fuzi case-separated moxibustion at Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) was added. They were treated for 3 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment of 3 months, the total effective rate was 83.3% in the treatment group, which was higher than 60.0% in the control group (P < 0.05); there were significant differences before and after treatment in all indexes in the two groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); the ratio of the patients who completely withdrew NSAIDs in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05); the rate of adverse reaction in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Fuzi cake-separated mild moxibustion can increase clinical therapeutic effect on RA and reduce dosage of NSAIDs.</p>