Enhanced acupuncture therapy for radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain in patients with gynecologic cancer: a report of two cases and brief review.

As radiation therapy is increasingly utilized in the treatment of cancer, neuropathic pain (NP) is a common radiotherapy-related adverse effect and has a significant impact on clinical outcomes negatively. However, despite an improved understanding of neuropathic pain management, pain is often undertreated in patients with cancer. Herein, we reported two cases with radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain (RRNP) who presented a positive reaction to acupuncture. Patient 1 (a 73-year-old woman) with gynecologic cancer complained of burning and electric shock-like pain in the lower limb after radiotherapy. With the accepted combination of acupuncture and drugs, the pain was alleviated completely in 8 weeks. Patient 2 (a 64-year-old woman) accepted acupuncture in the absence of medication because of her inability to tolerate the adverse events of anticonvulsant drugs. She achieved remission of pain 4 weeks later. The results of this study showed that acupuncture might be promising for controlling the RRNP in patients with cancer, especially who were intolerant or unresponsive to medications.

Construction of the integrative evidence chain in clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion / 中国针灸

The research aims to propose the approaches to the clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion and provide the methodological guide for the research in this field in terms of the inadequate systematic collection, lack of the specific characteristics of acupuncture-moxibustion treatment and insufficient persuasion in clinical evidences of acupuncture-moxibustion research. Through a systematic review of the registration of acupuncture-moxibustion clinical trials at home and abroad, the distribution of diseases with the recommendation of acupuncture and moxibustion in Cochrane Library database, combined with the evidence grade of the evidence-based medicine and the individual characteristics of clinical practice with acupuncture and moxibustion, some research ideas and framework are proposed for the clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion. To take the curative effect as the forerumer, the dominant disease and therapeutic methods of acupuncture and moxibustion should be initially generalized by the case experiences and clinical observation at the first. In view of the potential function of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment, the rigorous and standardized clinical trial should be carried out to verify their therapeutic effect. Finally, the experimental research is adopted to explore the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion. Through the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, all of the evidences are integrated to form an integrative evidence chain. It is anticipated that the construction of the integrative evidence chain in clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion may enhance the promotion of clinical practice with acupuncture and moxibustion and increase the influence of acupuncture-moxibusiton discipline.

Contribution of Borneolum syntheticum to the Intervention Effect of Liuwei Dihuang Pill () on Experimental Retinal Degeneration / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the contribution of Borneolum syntheticum to the intervention effect of Liuwei Dihuang Pill (, LDP) on experimental retinal degeneration, and initially investigate the mechanism of Borneolum syntheticum as meridian-lead-in drug.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 180 sodium iodateinduced retinital degeneration rats were randomly divided into three groups, including distilled water group, LDP group, and LDP+Borneolum syntheticum (LDP+BS) group. Twenty normal rats were fed regularly without any treatment as normal control. On day 7 and 14 after treatment, histopathological study and transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) test were performed to evaluate the retinopathy. Claudin-5 expression at blood-retina barrier (BRB) was detected by Western blot at different time points from 0.5 to 8 h after gavage.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>On day 7 and 14 after treatment, the retinal lesion grades were significantly different among the three groups (P<0.05). The grade in the LDP+BS group was significantly less than the LDP and distilled water groups (both P<0.05), no significant difference was observed between the LDP and distilled water groups (P>0.05). The apoptosis rates in the LDP+BS group was significantly less than the distilled water and LDP groups (both P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between LDP and distilled water groups (P>0.05). Expression of claudin-5 in LDP+BS group was significantly less than the other two groups at 0.5, 1 and 2 h after gavage (P<0.05). There was no apparent difference among the three groups at 4 and 8 h after gavage (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Borneolum syntheticum could strengthen the effect of LDP on experimental retinal degeneration, indicated that Borneolum syntheticum might play the role of meridian-lead-in drug in the formula. The mechanism may be due to Borneolum syntheticum could promote the physiologically openness of bloodretina barrier through transiently affecting the expression of claudin-5.</p>

Effect of Acupuncture on the Notch Signaling Pathway in Rats with Brain Injury / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of acupuncture on the Notch signaling pathway in rats with traumatic brain injury and to explore the pathogenesis of acupuncture intervention on traumatic brain injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Feeney's freefall epidural impact method was used to establish a traumatic brain injury model in rats; the rats were randomly divided into a normal group, sham operation group, model group and acupuncture group. Acupuncture was performed in the Baihui (DU 20), Shuigou (DU 26), Fengfu (DU 16), Yamen (DU 15) and Hegu (LI 4) acupoints in the rat, and Yamen was punctured via Fengfu. Then, the rats in each group were randomly divided into three subgroups, namely the day 3 subgroup, day 7 subgroup and day 14 subgroup according to treatment duration. The modified neurological severity scores (mNss) method was used to perform neurobehavioral scoring for evaluating the degree of injury in the rats. The hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining method was used to observe the pathological change in the brain tissue of rats in each group. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) technology was used to detect changes in the Notch1, Hes1 and Hes5 gene expression levels in the cortex on the injured side. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression changes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>One day after modeling, the mNss scores in the model group and in the acupuncture group were significantly higher than those in the normal and sham operation groups (P<0.01) ; there was no statistically significant difference between the normal group and the sham operation group. The scores decreased with increased treatment time, and the scores in the acupuncture group decreased more significantly than those in the model group (P<0.01). The pathological examination by the HE staining method demonstrated that the brain tissue of the rats in the acupuncture and model groups relatively significantly changed. The Notch1 gene expression level in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than the level in all of the other groups (P<0.01) ; the Hes1 and Hes5 gene expression levels were also higher in the acupuncture group. The expression changes of the Notch1 and Hes1 protein were consistent with that of mRNA. In each experimental group, the mNss score and the pathological results by the HE staining method were consistent with the mRNA results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture could significantly promote high expression levels of Notch1, Hes1 and Hes5 in the brain tissue of traumatic brain injury rats. Therefore, acupuncture might be an important intervention for inducing endogenous stem cell proliferation and for promoting nerve repair.</p>

Current progress in the permeability and its enhancement approches for TCM active ingredients across blood -eye barrier / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Blood-eye barrier (BEB) is one of the most important structures of organism to maintain homeostasis of the eye. However, it is the major constraint for the medication of intraocular diseases. Traditional Chinese medicines have distinctive advantages for the treatment of intraocular diseases, which can be used to regulate the physiological function of human body with low toxicity. In this article, we have briefly summarized the feature of BEB, with the domestic and foreign literatures combined, and mainly reviewed current progress in the field of study on the permeability of traditional Chinese medicines and effective components in BEB and promoting methods.

Review on sustained effect of acupuncture / 中国针灸

The sustained effect of acupuncture refers to the lasting effect after the cease of acupuncture. Through large amount of acupuncture clinical practices and experimental researches, the objective existence of the sustained effect of acupuncture is approved. However, the lasting period of acupuncture effect may be related with category and stage of disease, individualized acupuncture reaction, acupuncture methods, intervals between treatments and therapeutic course. Therefore, it has great scientific significance and practice value to carry out further systematic and in-depth research on effect onset time of different diseases as well as the discipline of the sustained effect, so as to promote and prolong acupuncture effect.

Effect of needling at waiguan (SJ5) on brain glucose metabolism in patients with cerebral infarction / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe changes of brain glucose metabolism by needling at Waiguan (SJ5) in cerebral infraction (CI) patients using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron-emission computer tomography (PET/CT), thus exploring its effect and mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 21 patients with CI were recruited in this study. The location of lesion was limited to the left basal ganglia by CT or MRI scan. All patients were randomly assigned to three groups. i.e., the acupoint group (Group A), the non-acupoint group (Group B), the blank control group (Group C), 7 in each group. Patients in Group A were needled at right Waiguan (SJ5). Those in Group B were needled at non-acupoint [10 mm beside Waiguan (SJ5)], whereas those in Group C did not receive any treatment. All patients underwent PET/CT head scan. All data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 13.0 Software and SPM8 Software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with Group C, glucose metabolism increased in bilateral superior temporal gyrus (BA38), right superior frontal gyrus (BA9), left cingulate gyrus (BA24), left culmen and pyramid of cerebellum, and right cerebellar tonsil of cerebellum in Group A. Compared with Group C, glucose metabolism increased in bilateral superior frontal gyrus (BA6, BA9, BA10), bilateral middle frontal gyrus (BA6, BA10), left middle frontal gyrus (BA4), bilateral uncus of limbic lobe (BA36, BA38), left cingulate gyrus (BA24, BA31), left posterior cingulate gyrus (BA30), left precuneus (BA7), left inferior parietal lobule (BA4), and left lingual gyrus of occipital lobe (BA18) in Group B. Compared with Group B, glucose metabolism increased in bilateral superior temporal gyrus (BA22, BA38), right inferior frontal gyrus (BA47), left culmen and cerebellar tonsil of cerebellum in Group A. Activated encephalic regions of needling at Waiguan (SJ5) were mainly dominated in the healthy side, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, and right inferior frontal gyrus. Activated encephalic regions of cerebellum were located at the left cerebellar hemisphere, left culmen of anterior cerebella lobe, and bilateral cerebellar tonsil of posterior cerebella lobe.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Needling at Waiguan (SJ5) of CI patients induced increased glucose metabolism in local cerebral regions. Functional neuroimaging using PET/CT could directly reflect changes of brain glucose metabolism by acupuncture.</p>

Antidiarrheal properties of different extracts of Chinese herbal medicine formula Bao-Xie-Ning / 中西医结合学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Bao-Xie-Ning (BXN), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) formula composed of Fructus Evodiae, Flos Caryophylli and Cortex Cinnamomi, and used for the treatment of infant diarrheal illness, was subject to systematic assessment for its putative multiple pharmacodynamic effects and pharmacological antidiarrheal mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>High-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric/mass spectrometry was developed and validated for identification and quantification of the main constituents in different extracts of BXN. Male Kunming mice weighing 20 to 25 g were used for detecting the antidiarrheal activity of the extracts. Ethanolic extract (EE), volatile oil extract (VOE), and aqueous extract (AE) of BXN were respectively subjected to pharmacodynamic and pharmacological comparison in assessing antidiarrheal effects with senna-induced diarrhea, castor oil-induced diarrhea, acetic acid-induced writhing assay, and isolated duodenum test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The highest yields of three detected components of BXN, rutaecarpine, eugenol and cinnamaldehyde were observed in EE. EE showed the most remarkable antidiarrheal activity in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners in both senna- and castor oil-induced diarrhea models, and presented dose-dependent analgesic activity in acetic acid-induced algesthesia model. In addition, EE extract of BXN also exhibited strong antimobility action on the intestine and strongest depression on spontaneous contraction of isolated duodenum.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ethanol extraction is an efficient method to extract the active constituents of BXN. BXN extract demonstrated multiple pharmacological activities affecting the main mechanisms of diarrhea, which validated BXN's usage in the comprehensive clinical treatment of diarrhea.</p>

Effect of acupuncture on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in brain tissues of rats with traumatic brain injury / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of acupuncture on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in brain tissues of rats with traumatic brain injuny.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty SD rats were randomly and equally allocated to the sham-operated, the model and the acupuncture groups. The traumatic brain injury model was established by the free drop method. For the rats in the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied once a day for 7 days. Brain histotomy was carried out when treatments were completed. Immunohistochemical techniques were adopted to detect the cells that express nestin, neurofilament proteins (NF)-200 and glial fibrillary acidic proteins (GFAP), the markers of neural stem cells, neurons, astrocytes respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared to the sham-operated group, the number of nestin-positive cells and NF-200-positive cells in brain tissues was decreased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01), whereas the number of GFAP-positive cells was significantly increased P<0.01). Compared to the model group, the positive cells of nestin, NF-200, GFAP in brain tissues in the acupuncture group were increased obviously (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Acupuncture can significantly increase the number of nestin-positive cells, NF-200-positive cells and GFAP-positive cells, indicating the significant increase of neural stem cells, neurons and astrocytes in number. Acupuncture can improve neuranagenesis by promoting the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in brain tissues. This might be one of the mechanisms for acupuncture to treat traumatic brain injury and to promote the repair of nervous function.</p>

Antidiarrheal properties of different extracts of Chinese herbal medicine formula Bao-Xie-Ning / 中西医结合学报

Bao-Xie-Ning (BXN), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) formula composed of Fructus Evodiae, Flos Caryophylli and Cortex Cinnamomi, and used for the treatment of infant diarrheal illness, was subject to systematic assessment for its putative multiple pharmacodynamic effects and pharmacological antidiarrheal mechanisms.

Effects of electroacupuncture on IL-2-IFN-NKC immunity immunoloregulation net and IL-2 receptor in rats with exercise stress / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of electroacupuncture on exercise-induced immunosuppression in rats and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sports immunosuppressive model was established successfully by the rats were conducted high intensity swimming training 150 min/day, 6 days/wk for 8 weeks in this study. Forty-three SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (group A, n = 10), a high intensity swimming training group (group B, n = 17), and a high intensity plus electroacupuncture group (group C, n = 16). Group A did not receive any intervention. Group B was conducted 150 min/day, 6 days/wk swimming training for 8 weeks. Group C was treated with electroacupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) after every exercise-time from the second week, once each day for 7 weeks. The changes of the rats' weight, gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN), interleukin-2 (IL-2), solubility IL-2 receptor (SIL-2R) and nature killer cell (NKC) were detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Compared with group A, gamma-IFN and IL-2 in group B were significantly decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and NKC in group C was significantly increased (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, gamma-IFN and NKC in group C were both significantly higher than that in group B (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (2) Compared with group A, the weight of the rats in group B and group C were significantly decreased (both P < 0.01), but SIL-2R in group B was significantly increased (P < 0.05). The weight of the rats in group C was significantly higher than that in group B (P < 0.05) and SIL-2R in group C was significantly lower than that in group B (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lasting gravis exercise stress does decrease the immune function in rats and is even inhibited significantly, but electroacupuncture can up-regulate the exercise-induced immunosuppression.</p>

Acupuncture resources in Cochrane Library / 中国针灸

To identify acupuncture resources in six databases of Cochrane Library (CL) with computer retrieve. Seventy-two literatures were identified in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR). Among them, 12 Cochrane systematic review (CSR) verified the effectiveness of acupuncture, 29 concerning the indeterminacy of the efficacy of acupuncture with 1 didn't support acupuncture for epilepsy and 31 remained as protocols; 121 literatures were found in Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) with more types of diseases or symptoms and rich modality comparing to CSR; 4218 randomized controlled trials and clinical controlled trials were identified in Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CCRCT); 43 literatures in Cochrane Methodology Register Database (CMRD) which focused on blindness study, quality assessment of methodology of research and publication bias and so on; 25 literatures in Health Technology Assessment Database (HTAD) and 18 in NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) which were centered on acupuncture analgesia. Consequently, acupuncture literatures in 6 databases of CL do provide good resources for acupuncture researchers due to its abundant content, concrete classification and high quality evidence.

Randomized controlled study on acupuncture treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of acpuncture treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nighty cases of CFS were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 45 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with acupunture at Renying (ST 9), Fengfu (GV 16), Baihui (GV 20); the control group was treated with 250 mL 5% Glucose injectio combined with 20 mL Shenmai injectio. Fatigue Scale (FS) was used to compare the scores between the two groups after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total scores in the observation group were 9.37 +/- 2.33 and 5.41 +/- 1.96 before and after treatment respectively, and in the control group, they were 9.08 +/- 2.27 and 7.34 +/- 2.03 respectively. FS brainwork integral, physical fatigue integral, and total integral all decreased after treatment in two groups (all P < 0.001), and it decreased much more obviously in the observation group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both of the acpuncture treatment and Shenmai injectio are able to decrease fatigue scale score, improve the fatigue symptoms of CFS patients, and the effect of acupucture treatment is obviously superior to that of Shenmai injectio.</p>

Influence of Chinese drugs for cooling blood and dissolving stasis in different concentrations on morphology of choroidal neovascularization / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the influence of Chinese drugs for cooling blood and dissolving stasis (CBDS) in different concentrations on morphology of krypton laser induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in brown Norway (BN) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight rats received laser irradiation (659 nm) on fundus of one eye (power 360 mW, spot diameter 50 microm, time 0.05 s). They were divided into four groups equally: the control group (A) treated with normal saline, and the three CBDS groups treated respectively with high (B, 5.0 g/kg), median (C, 2.5 g/kg) and low (D, 1.25 g/kg) dosage of CBDS, twice every day via gastric perfusion for 21 successive days. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) on 4 selected rats in each group was performed at the 7th, 14th and 21st day after photocoagulation, and histopathologic examination using light microscope with immuno-histochemical stain was conducted on them as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>FFA showed that CNV was firstly appeared on day 7 after photocoagulation, in Group A, it expanded gradually and reached the peak on day 21, but showed no significant expansion in the three CBDS groups. The fluorescein leakage in Group C (52343.13 +/- 12973.92 dots) and D (66252.78 +/- 20659.71 dots) was significantly less than that in Group A (91457.19 +/- 29309.11 dots) and B (95973.40 +/- 53950.43 dots) on day 21, all showing statistical significance (P<0.05). The variation of CNV in thickness showed that in Group A it increased gradually from day 7 and reached the peak on day 21 (55.3383 +/- 8.5036 microm); but in the CBDS groups, the peak was reached on day 14, then became thinned gradually, on day 21, it was 40.0913 +/- 13.3448 microm in Group B, 38.8473 +/- 7.9862 microm in Group C and 38.9372 +/- 5.1728 microm in Group D, all thinner than that in Group A significantly (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CDBS can effectively suppress the krypton laser induced CNV proliferation and prevent the CNV leakage in BN rats.</p>

Reversal of nucleophilicity of enamides in water: control of cyclization pathways by reaction media for the orthogonal synthesis of dihydropyridinone and pyrrolidinone Clausena alkaloids.

A highly efficient, metal-free, and divergent method for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyridin-2-one and pyrrolidin-2-one Clausena alkaloids and their analogs is reported. While the oxirane-containing enamides underwent the TFA-mediated 6-endo-enamide-epoxide cyclization reaction in Bu(t)OH to produce homoclausenamides, an unprecedented nucleophilic reaction occurred at the alpha-carbon of enamides in water to yield 5-endo-enamide-epoxide cyclization products in excellent yields. The reversal of nucleophilicity of enamides in intramolecular cyclization is discussed in terms of steric and electronic effects of the oxirane-containing enamides.

Acupuncture for treatment of depressive neurosis: a multi-center randomized controlled study / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on depressive neurosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>With a multi-center randomized controlled study, 440 cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture group, a prozac group, a non-acupoint needling group. In the acupuncture group, Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3) were selected, and the Prozac group were treated with administration of 20 mg/d and the non-acupoint needling group were treated with needling the points deviating from the acupoints. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by HAMD score reduction rate, and Asberg's anti-depressant side-effect rating scale (SERS) and severe adverse reaction were used for safety evaluation, and the data were analyzed with ITT.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 86. 4% in the acupuncture group, which was better than 59.1% in the non-acupoint needling group and 72.7% in the prozac group; HAMD score in the acupuncture group was similar to that in the Prozac group, which was better than that in the non-acupoint needling group; the SERS scores in the acupuncture group and the non-acupoint needling group were significantly lower than that in the Prozac group, with no severe side-effects found for acupuncture.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture is an effective and safe therapy for depressive neurosis; therapeutic effect of acupuncture on depressive neurosis possibly is better than or similar to that of Prozac, but with less side-effects.</p>

[Effects of different intervention methods on behavior changes in depression rats].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effects of acupuncture, medication and acupoint catgut-embedding in the treatment of depression. METHODS: A total of 60 adult SD rats were randomly divided into normal, model, medication, acupuncture and catgut embedding groups, with 12 cases in each group. Depression model was duplicated by abrosia, abstinence of water, tail-clipping, swimming in cool water, electrical shock stimulation, etc continuously for 21 days. For rats of medication group, intrgastric administration of Fluoxetine hydrochloride (2 mg/kg) was performed; for those of acupuncture group, "Baihui" mentioned 2 groups was carried out once daily, 21 days altogether. For those of catgut embedding group, a piece of sterilized cat-week, 3 times altogether. Changes of behavior (locomotor activity, crossing and rearing movement) were detected with open-field test, and sucrose consumption in 24 h was recorded. RESULTS: Compared with normal group, the times of crossing and rearing movement in model group decreased significantly from the 7th day on after modeling, as well as sucrose consumption in 24 h decreased significantly from the 14th day on (P < 0.05, 0.01), while in comparison with model group, the times of crossing and rearing movement increased significantly on the 14th day in acupuncture and catgut embedding groups and 21st day on all the 3 treatment groups (P < 0.05, 0.01); correspondingly, sucrose consumption in 24 h increased considerably from the 14th day on in catgut embedding group and on the 21st day in acupuncture and catgut embedding groups (P < 0.05, 0.01). There were no significant differences among 3 treatment groups in the locomotor activity and sucrose consumption 21 days after the treatment (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Administration of Fluoxetine hydrochloride, acupuncture and catgut embedding all can improve the depression rats' locomotor behavior and sucrose solution consumption in 24 h. Thus acupoint catgut embedding method may be applicable in clinical treatment of depression.

Effects of acupuncture and embedding thread on central monoamine neurotransmitters in the depression model rat / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare therapeutic effects of acupuncture and embedding thread on depression and to probe the mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two adult SD rats, 16 females and 16 males, were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an acupuncture group and an embedding thread group, 8 rats in each group. Separated feeding, long-term unpredictable and middle stimulation stress were used for development of depression rat model. At the same time, the treatment groups were treated for 21 days. The changes of norepinephrine (NE), 5-hydoxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) contents in the brain were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal group, 5-HT, NE and DA contents in the hypothalamus and hippocampus decreased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); compared with the model group, the contents of the central monoamine neurotransmitters increased in both the acupuncture group and the embedding thread group, but the embedding thread group had more obvious action in improvement of 5-HT and DA levels in the hypothalamus and DA level in the hippocampus than the acupuncture group with no significant difference between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both acupuncture and embedding thread therapy are effective for the depression model rat. They play the therapeutic role through regulating central monoamine neurotransmitters.</p>

Effects of thread embedding therapy on nucleotides and gastrointestinal hormones in the patient of chronic gastritis / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe therapeutic effect of thread embedding therapy on chronic gastritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy cases of chronic gastritis were randomly divided into the treatment group (n = 36) treated by thread embedding therapy and the control group (n = 34) by acupuncture. Weishu (BL 21), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Zusanli (ST 36) were selected as main points. And plasma contents of cAMP, cGMP, gastrin and substance P were observed before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 88.89% in the treatment group and 76.47% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05); there were significant differences before and after treatment in plasma contents of cAMP, cGMP, gastrin and substance P in the two groups (P < 0.01), and the changes of these indexes in the treatment group were significantly superior to the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Thread embedding therapy has a definite therapeutic effect on chronic gastritis and it can adjust nucleotides, gastrin and substance P to improve the functions of the nerve-endocrine-immunity network.</p>