Integrated 'omics analysis for the gut microbiota response to moxibustion in a rat model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of moxibustion in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and explore the effects on gut microbiota and metabolic profiles. METHODS: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control group (Con), CFS model group (Mod, established by multiple chronic stress for 35 d), MoxA group (CFS model with moxibustion Shenque (CV8) and Guanyuan (CV4), 10 min/d, 28 d) and MoxB group (CFS model with moxibustion Zusanli (ST36), 10 min/d, 28 d). Open-field test (OFT) and Morris-water-maze test (MWMT) were determined for assessment the CFS model and the therapeutic effects of moxibustion.16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis based gut microbiota integrated untargeted liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) based fecal metabolomics were executed, as well as Spearman correlation analysis, was utilized to uncover the functional relevance between the potential metabolites and gut microbiota. RESULTS: The results of our behavioral tests showed that moxibustion improved the performance of CFS rats in the OFT and the MWMT. Microbiome profiling analysis revealed that the gut microbiomes of CFS rats were less diverse with altered composition, including increases in pro-inflammatory species (such as Proteobacteria) and decreases in anti-inflammatory species (such as Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella). Moxibustion partially normalized these changes in the gut microbiota. Furthermore, CFS was associated with metabolic disorders, which were effectively ameliorated by moxibustion. This was demonstrated by the normalization of 33 microbiota-related metabolites, including mannose (P = 0.001), aspartic acid (P = 0.009), alanine (P = 0.007), serine (P = 0.000), threonine (P = 0.027), methionine (P = 0.023), 5-hydroxytryptamine (P = 0.008), alpha-linolenic acid (P = 0.003), eicosapentaenoic acid (P = 0.006), hypoxanthine (P = 0.000), vitamin B6 (P = 0.000), cholic acid (P = 0.013), and taurocholate (P = 0.002). Correlation analysis showed a significant association between the perturbed fecal microbiota and metabolite levels, with a notable negative relationship between LCA and Bacteroides. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrated that moxibustion has an antifatigue-like effect. The results from the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics analysis suggest that the therapeutic effects of moxibustion on CFS are related to the regulation of gut microorganisms and their metabolites. The increase in Bacteroides and decrease in LCA may be key targets for the moxibustion treatment of CFS.

Research progress in the treatment of sleep disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome with external therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine / 国际中医中药杂志

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) external therapy for sleep disorder of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has good anti-fatigue effect and can improve sleep quality of patients. The treatment for sleep disorders of CFS with TCM external treatment mainly adopts acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, TCM bath, transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation and auricular point sticking, etc., or alone, or comprehensive application, or combined with oral Chinese materia medica. The appropriate treatment method can be selected according to the patients' condition and compliance, which reflects the unique advantages of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment and the treatment according to people and time. The existing research still needs to further form a standardized and recognized diagnosis and treatment system, so as to better guide clinical popularization and application.

Clinical application and mechanism of moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome / 国际中医中药杂志

The treatment rules of point selection and treatment principles for treating chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can be divided into three categories: regulating and replenishing, invigorating original yang and regulating zang-fu organs. The mechanism of moxibustion includes improving gut microbiota imbalance, regulating immune cell imbalance and correcting endocrine dysfunction. The moxibustion methods include ginger-partitioned moxibustion, thunder-fire moxibustion, warm acupuncture, and governor moxibustion. Acupuncture points such as Shenque (RN8), Guanyuan (RN4), Qihai (RN6), Zusanli (ST36), Baihui (DU20), Yongquan (KI1) and back-shu points are often selected to exert anti-chronic fatigue effects.

Clinical observation of acupuncture combined with puerarin injection in the treatment of patients with sudden deafness / 中国基层医药

Objective To explore therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with puerarin injection in the treatment of patients with sudden deafness.Methods 83 patients with sudden deafnss were randomly divided into 2 groups.Control group(n =38) received puersrin injection.Treatment group ( n =45 ) received acupuncture received acupuncture combined with puerarin injection.The effect was compared between the two groups.Results The effective rate of treatment group was 86.7％,and was higher than that of control group(73.6％ ) ( P ＜0.05 ).The hearing function of treatment group was better than that of the control group after treatment ( t =6.21,P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusion Acupuncture combined with puerarin injection in the treatment of patients with sudden deafness could obtain good curative effect,and it was worth to be spread and studied in the clinic.

The heart-protective mechanism of Qishaowuwei formula on murine viral myocarditis induced by CVB3.

AIM OF STUDY: The heart-protective effect and mechanism of Qishaowuwei formula (QSW), a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula composed of Radix Astragali, Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Fructus Schisandrae was investigated on murine model of viral myocarditis (VMC) induced by Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into infected control group, QSW high dose group, QSW medium dose group, QSW low dose group and Vitamin C plus Ribavirin treatment group. 50 mice were included in each group. The day of virus inoculation was defined as day 0 and the drug treatment continued once a day for 14 days. Mice were sacrificed on days 3, 7, 14, 21 postinoculation (p.i.). The histopathological changes of myocardium, CVB3 RNA copies in the myocardium, cardiomycytic apoptosis, the serum level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and maleic dialdehyde (MDA) and the phenotype of T lymphocytes subsets in peripheral blood was analyzed. RESULTS: QSW treatment significantly increase the survival rate (p<0.05) in VMC model. Histopathology and flow cytometry inspection revealed low ratio of cardiomyocytes necrosis and apoptosis in QSW treated mice with dose dependent manner. The cardiomyocytic ultra-structure observed by transmission electron microscope also supported the above results. The ameliorated tissue damage was consistent with reduced CVB3 copy numbers detected by real-time PCR in the myocardium of QSW treated mice. The antioxidant effect of QSW was proved by elevated activity of SOD and reduced level of MDA in the serum. Furthermore, the disturbed balance of CD4+ and CD8+ subsets in peripheral blood was restored. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated QSW had potent protective effect against CVB3-induced heart injury and this effect might be mediated by its inhibition on viral replication, antioxidant activity and immunoregulation mechanism.

Clinical Study on Puncturing Renying (ST 9) to Treat Poststroke Dysphagia / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of puncturing Renying (ST 9) in the treatment of poststroke dysphagia. Methods: Sixty cases of poststroke dysphagia were randomized into two groups, a control group in which 30 cases were given rehabilitation training, and a treatment group in which 30 cases were treated by puncturing Renying (ST 9) and rehabilitation training, with a course of four weeks. Results: The total effective rate for dysphagia was higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Puncturing Renying (ST 9) is quite effective for poststroke dysphagia.

Traditional Tibetan medicine plant resource of Polygonaceae family in eastern of Qinghai-Tibet plateau / 中国中药杂志

The eco-environment in eastern part of Qinghai-Tibet plateau is a rather complicated complex. The plants species there are quite diverse. The plant resource from Polygonaceae family used in traditional Tibetan medicine is very rich according to preliminary investigation. There were 6 genera and 15 species. The flora and the medicine value of them were analyzed. And some suggestions about traditional Tibetan medicine plant resource exploitation and utilization were presented.