Research advances in treatment of cerebral ischemic injury by acupuncture of conception and governor vessels to promote nerve regeneration.

Cerebral ischemia is one of the most common diseases treated by acupuncture therapeutics. Recent studies indicated that acupuncture treatment by needling the conception and governor vessels had positive effects in promoting neural regeneration in patients after cerebral ischemia injury. Acupuncture intervention could continuously promote the proliferation and differentiation of the neural stem cells in the brain, obviously up-regulate expression of growth factors, accelerate angiogenesis and inhibit apoptosis. Hence, it is necessary to present an exhaustive review on the mechanisms. The present review gives a detailed description of pathological changes of cerebral ischemia and acupuncture intervention applied to the conception and governor vessels, and proposes research prospects in the future.

[Study on extraction process of available components of tea].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimum ethanol extraction process conditions for the available components in the tea - Catechines (CT) including Epigallo catechin gallate (EGCG) and Caffeine (CF). METHODS: The content of EGCG, CT and CF, extraction rate, DPPH * Free radical scavenging capacity were chosen as the assessment indexes. With the alcohol ratio (A), solid-liquid ratio (B) and reflux time (C) as investigation factors, the optimum ethanol extraction process of the available components from tea was determined by L9 (3(4)) orthogonal experimental design. RESULTS: It would obtain different extraction conditions to analyze the assessment indexes depending on the different extraction purposes. For the purpose of CT, the contents of EGCG and CT, extraction rate and DPPH * Free radical scavenging capacity were chosen as the assessment indexes, the optimum extraction conditions were selected as follows: the ratio of raw material to 75% alcohol was 1: 12, the reflux time was 30 minutes and extraction times were three; For the purpose of CF, the content of CF and extraction rate were chosen as the assessment indexes, the optimum extraction conditions were selected as follows: the ratio of raw material to 60% alcohol was 1: 12, the reflux time was 30 minutes and extraction times were three; For the purpose of integrated extraction, the contents of CT and CF, extraction rate and DPPH * Free radical scavenging capacity were chosen as the assessment indexes, the optimum extraction conditions were selected as follows: the ratio of raw material to 60% alcohol was 1: 8, the reflux time was 30 minutes and extraction times were three. CONCLUSION: The optimum extraction process in order to attain different purposes can give a reference to the research of a new medicine and industry production.

Acupuncture combined with music therapy for treatment of 30 cases of cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To observe clinical therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with music therapy for treatment of cerebral palsy. METHODS: Sixty children with cerebral palsy were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (Group Acup.) and an acupuncture plus music group (Group Acup.+ M). Simple acupuncture was applied in Group Acup., and acupuncture at 5 groups of points plus music were applied in Group Acup. +M. The treatment was given once every two days with 3 treatments weekly, and 36 treatments constituted a therapeutic course. Therapeutic effects including movement improvement were observed for comparison after 3 courses of treatments. RESULTS: The comprehensive functions were elevated in both groups, and the total effective rate in Group Acup. + M was obviously better than that in Group Acup (P < 0.05). Movement functions were also improved in both groups, but the differences in improvement of creeping and kneeling, standing, and walking were significant between the two groups (P < 0.01), showing the effect in Group Acup. + M was better than that in Group Acup.. CONCLUSION: The therapy of acupuncture plus music gained better therapeutic effect on cerebral palsy than simple acupuncture, which provided new thoughts for treating the disease by comprehensive therapies.

[Experimental study on effect of Astragalus extractum on canine isolated kidney during hypothermia perfusion and preservation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Astragalus Extractum on canine isolated kidney during hypothermia perfusion and preservation. METHODS: Isolated kidneys in the control group were hypothermia perfused and preserved using conventional hypertonic adenine citrate solution (HC-A), and for those in the experimental group, using HC-A plus Astragalus extract instead. The changes of renal tissue construction were observed with light microscopy and electron microscopy. Moreover, the kidney transplantation model of dog was established to determine the changes of biochemical parameters before and after transplantation. Data were analysed synthetically. RESULTS: The ultrastructural injury in preserved kidney of the experimental group was significantly milder than that in the control group. Parameters determined in the early stage of transplantation showed that the blood creatinine level was significantly lower and the endogenous creatinine clearing value was higher in the experimental group than that in the control group, the difference was significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: When Astragalus extractum is used in preserving kidney with hypothermia perfusion, it shows definite protective effect on the ischemic reperfusion injured kidney.