[Experience in treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy by relaxing the sinew of hand three yang meridians with the tendon-bone needling therapy of Chinese medicine].

The clinical experience of professor WU Han-qing in treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) with the tendon-bone needling therapy of Chinese medicine is introduced. Professor WU believes that the pathogenesis of CSR is the damage on the neck and the sinew of hand three yang meridians, the formation of clustered nodules, obstruction in meridians and the stagnation of qi and blood. In treatment, the tendon-bone needling therapy is mainly adopted to relaxing clustered nodules and the sinew of hand three yang meridians and promoting qi and blood circulation. Regarding the acupoint selection, the "three-yangguan localization method" is used. The three hand-yangguan points and the three wrist-yangguan points are selected. The knotted points corresponding to the affected transverse processes of cervical vertebra are selected as well. Meanwhile, the adjuvant treatment points are selected on the base of the principle as "selecting the points along the affected meridian sinew". During treatment, according to needling sites and layers, the different needling techniques are optioned flexibly. Besides, the attentive experience in needling sensation in physician and the interaction between physician and patient are emphasized so as to improve the safety of treatment.

Vernonia amygdalina Delile extract inhibits the hepatic gluconeogenesis through the activation of adenosine-5'monophosph kinase.

AIMS: It has been reported that Vernonia amygdalina Delile(VA) presents an anti-diabetic effect, and the effect of VA on lowering glucose is formulated via suppressing the expression of the key hepatic gluconeogenesis enzyme. Therefore, we further explored the probable mechanism of VA on dismissing hepatic gluconeogenesis through the activation of adenosine-5' monophosphate kinase (AMPK) in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: We developed type 2 diabetic mice with STZ and oral administration with VA (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg) once a day for 6 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were conducted. The expression levels of AMPK, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and Glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) proteins in live were evaluated by western blot. Then, we further explored the mechanism of VA on hepatic gluconeogenesis in vitro experiments. Glucose production and the expression of AMPK, PEPCK and G6Pase proteins were detected after VA treatment with the presence of the AMPK inhibitor Compound C. KEY FINDINGS: VA reduced FBG and caused a significant improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in STZ-induced mice. VA inhibited the elevated expression of gluconeogenesis key enzymes (PEPCK and G6Pase) and up-regulated AMPK activity in liver. In palmitic acid (PA)-induced HepG2 cells, VA decreased glucose production and the expression of PEPCK and G6Pase proteins, also activated AMPK pathway. The effects of VA on gluconeogenesis could be reversed by Compound C. CONCLUSION: These results reveal that VA suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis at least partially through activating the AMPK.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on drug-seeking behaviors induced by heroin priming and FosB expression in relevant brain regions].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of electroacupuncture on heroin seeking behavior and FosB expression in relevant brain regions. METHODS: Rat model of heroin relapse behaviors was developed with progressive fixed ratio program,and model rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a restraint group, a needle retention group, and a electroacupuncture group. The heroin seeking behavior was elicited by a small dose of heroin. FosB expression in relevnt brain region was assessed with immunohistochemical technique. RESULTS: Tests on reinstatement of drug seeking behavior induced by heroin priming showed that compared with the restraint group, active pokes in the electroacupuncture group decreased significantly(P<0.05). Compared with the restraint group, the expression of FosB positive nuclei in Acd, Pcg and CeA of rats brain both in the electroacupuncture group and the needle retention group (P<0.05) decreased significantly. In LC, the expression of FosB positive nuclei in the needle retention group decreased significantly compared with the restraint group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Continuous acupuncture and needle retention attentuate the reinstatement of heroin-seeking behaviors induced by heroin priming, and the inhibitory effect may be mediated partially by the expression of FosB in relevant regions which are involved in the process of heroin addiction.

[Effect of Huaisanzhen on central analgesic transmitters in the rat of the nerve root pain caused by protrusion of lumbar intervertebra disc].

OBJECTIVE: To search the mechanism of Huaisanzhen in treating the nerve root pain caused by protrusion of lumbar intervertebra disc. METHODS: Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, a sham operation control group, a model control group, an aspirin-DL-lysine control group, a routine body acupuncture group, and a Huaisanzhen treatment group. The aspirin-DL-lysine control group, the routine body acupuncture group and the Huaisanzhen treatment group were treated by aspirin-DL-lysine through intramuscular injection, routine acupuncture and Huaisanzhen therapy, respectively. The pain threshold and the content of brain 5-HT in each group were determined. RESULTS: The pain threshold significantly increased in the Huaisanzhen treatment group as compared with that in the model control group at the same hour points (P < 0.05). And at the 30 min, the pain threshold in the aspirin-DL-lysine control group and the routine body acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the model control group, and the Huaisanzhen treatment group was significantly higher than that in the aspirin-DL-lysine control group and the routine body acupuncture group (all P < 0.05). The 5-HT contents at the same time in the Huaisanzhen treatment group were higher than those of the model control group and the aspirin-DL-lysine control group (P < 0.01). The 5-HT content at 30 min in the Huaisanzhen treatment groups was significantly higher than that of the routine body acupuncture group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The analgesic effect of Huaisanzhen treatment is closely related to increase of 5-HT content in the brain.

[Effects of electroacupuncture of low frequency on heroin-seeking behavior and FosB protein expression in relative brain regions].

OBJECTIVE: To observe effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of low frequency on heroin-seeking behavior and FosB protein expression in relative brain regions so as to explore the mechanism of EA. METHODS: Rat model of relapsing into heroin was established with progressive fixed ratio program, and model rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a "Sanyinjiao" needle-retention control group, a low frequency and weak EA group, and a low frequency and strong EA group. Heroin-seeking behavior was elicited by conditional clue and small dose of heroin; FosB protein expression was investigated with immunohistochemical technique. RESULTS: After treatment, the heroin-seeking behavior induced by conditional clue decreased in the needle-retention control group and the weak EA group, and the heroin-seeking behavior induced by small dose of heroin in the weak EA group significantly reduced as compared with the control group, and FosB protein expression in the nucleus accumbens septi, globus pallidus, basolateral amygdaloid nucleus significantly decreased in the weak EA group, and did not significantly change in the strong EA group; the activity induced by heroin increased as compared with those in the control group and the weak EA group. CONCLUSION: EA of low frequency and low intensity can cure the heroin-seeking behavior, which is correlated with regulating nervous adaptation of nucleus accumbens septi, basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, etc..

[Clinical observation on ankle-three-needle for treatment of nerve root pain of prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the analgesic effect of ankle-three-needle on nerve root pain of prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty cases were randomly divided into an ankle-three-needle group, a routine acupuncture group and a medication group. The ankle-three-needle group were treated with ankle-three-needle therapy, i. e. according to different prolapse segments, points Gentong No. 1, 2 and 3 were selected with lifting-kneading needle insertion method used and the needle was inserted along the skin; the routine acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at Shenshu (BL 23), Qihaishu (BL 24) and Jiaji (EX-B 2) of the prolapse corresponding segment, and Ciliao (BL 32), etc. with uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulation; the medication group were treated with routine buttock intramuscular injection of aspirin-DL-lysine plus saline. RESULTS: The time inducing analgesia was 6 min in the ankle-three-needle group, 27 min in the routine acupuncture group and 18 min in the medication group. The effect-lasting time was 24.48 h in the ankle-three-needle group, 8.93 h in the routine acupuncture group and 6.36 h in the medication group, with a significant difference as the ankle-three-needle group compared with both the routine acupuncture group and the medication group, but with no significant difference between the routine acupuncture group and the medication group. After treatment, there were very significant differences in change tendency of the analgesic score among the three groups at all the time points (P < 0.01). And there was very significant differences in the changing tendency of straight-leg raising test among the three groups at 0.5 h, 1 h, 24 h and 48 h (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ankle-three-needle has obvious therapeutic effect on nerve root pain induced by prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.

[Clinical study on analgesic effect of Huaisanzhen on the nerve root pain due to prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc].

OBJECTIVE: To search for an effective therapy for the nerve root pain caused by prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-two cases were randomly divided into a Huaisanzhen group of 96 cases, a drug control group of 48 cases and an acupuncture control group of 48 cases. The Huaisanzhen group were treated by Huaisanzhen therapy, the drug control group by intramuscular injection of aspirin-DL-lysine and the acupuncture control group by routine acupuncture. RESULTS: The time inducing analgesic effect was shorter, the effect-lasting time was longer, and the analgesic effect and the comprehensive therapeutic effect were better in the treatment group as compared with the two control groups with very significant differences (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Huaisanzhen therapy has a better analgesic effect on the nerve root pain due to prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with sacral injection on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc].

OBJECTIVE: To search for an effective method for treatment of prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc. METHODS: Ninety-four cases were randomly divided into a treatment group of 48 cases and a control group of 46 cases. The treatment group were treated by acupuncture and moxibustion combined with sacral injection and the control group with simple sacral injection. Their therapeutic effects were compared. RESULTS: The cured and total effective rates were 64.6% and 97.9% in the treatment group, and 37.0% and 89.1% in the control group, with statistically significant differences between the two groups (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with sacral injection has a significant therapeutic effect on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.