[Effect of nape cluster-acupuncture treatment on brain microcirculation in ischemic stroke rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of nape cluster-acupuncture treatment on blood microcirculation of the cerebral piamater and the whole blood viscosity in cerebral ischemia (CI) rats so as to study its mechanism underlying improvement of CI. METHODS: Eighty male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to false operation group, CI model group, medication group and acupuncture group (n = 20). CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery with intraluminal suture-ball blocking method. For rats of the nape cluster-acupuncture group, acupuncture needles were inserted into "Fengfu" (GV 16), "Yamen" (GV 15), "Xia-naohu" (GV 17), "Fengchi" (GB 20), and the points of evenly divided into three parts between GV 16 and GB 20 respectively, and rotated for 1 min, then retained for 15 min, once a day, for 14 sessions. Rats of the medication group were given with intragatric perfusion of nimodipine (12 mL/kg), once daily for 14 days. The blood microcirculation of the brain was detected by using a laser Doppler flowmeter with the probe put near the surface of cerebral piamater. The whole blood viscosity was determined using a blood rheological automatic detector. RESULTS: In comparison with the false operation group, the blood flow volume of the cerebral piamater was remarkably decreased and the whole blood viscosity level significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.01). In comparison with the model group, the blood flow volume of the cerebral piamater was obviously increased and the whole blood viscosity apparently decreased in both the acupuncture and medication groups (P < 0.01). The effects of acupuncture were obviously better than those of the medication in upregulating blood flow volume and in lowering whole blood viscosity (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The nape cluster acupuncture treatment has a favorable role in improving brain microcirculation by raising blood flow volume and reducing blood viscosity in ischemic stroke rats.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of pecking moxibustion of specific acupoints for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea type)].

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of pecking moxibustion therapy and common acupuncture on irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea type). METHODS: Fifty cases of irritable bowel syndrome were randomly divided into a pecking moxibustion group (n=30) and an acupuncture group (n=20). The pecking moxibustion group was treated by pecking moxibustion with a ZHOU's pecking moxibustion pen, and the acupuncture group by common acupuncture. In the two groups, Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20), Weishu (BL 21), Shenshu (BL 23), etc. were selected. After treatment of 15 sessions the scores of symptoms and clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of symptoms significantly decreased (both P < 0.01), with a significant difference in the decrease of symptom scores between the two groups (P < 0.05); the total effective rate of 93.3% in the pecking moxibustion group was higher than 75.0% in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pecking moxibustion therapy can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea type), with a better therapeutic effect than common acupuncture.