Efficacy of catgut embedding in Baihui (GV20) and Feishu (BL13) and Pishu (BL20) on lung tissue, brain tissue and blood related indexes in rats with allergic rhinitis of lung deficiency type.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupoint catgut embedding for 3 weeks on lung tissue, blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) and interleutin-4 (IL-4), brain tissue microglia x-42 (OX-42) and toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2) in rats with allergic rhinitis of lung deficiency type. METHODS: Forty-five female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided for two times. The first time, they were randomly divided into model group and blank group (Group C) according to 2:1, and the second time, the model group were randomly divided into model control group (Group B) and intervention treatment group (Group A) according to 1:1. 15 in each group. For Group A and Group B, the lung deficiency model was made by "sulfur-moxa fumigation", and then the allergic rhinitis model was established by "ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization". Then catgut embedding was performed at acupoints in Group A and not in Group B. After 3 weeks, collect lung tissue samples for hematoxylin-eosin staining, then take blood to observe the concentration of IgE and IL-4, and finally take brain tissue to observe the results of OX-42 and TLR-2. RESULTS: IgE level (µg/mL) was (3.11 ± 0.20) in the Group A, (4.19 ± 0.44) in the Group B, and (2.29 ± 0.30) in the Group C (all < 0.001). IL-4 level (pg/mL) was (14.2 ± 0.7) in the Group A, (18.6 ± 2.4) in the Group B, and (11.4 ± 1.2) for the Group C (all < 0.001). The mean OD for OX-42 is (0.1728 ± 0.0016) in the Group A, (0.1810 ± 0.0046) in the Group B and (0.1674 ± 0.0025) in the Group C (all < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although 3 weeks of acupoint catgut embedding already showed obvious efficacy on rats with allergic rhinitis, the allergic reaction in the body still continued. To achieve further treatment, prolonging the catgut embedding time is necessary.

Effect of Kang'ai injection on hepatic fibrosis in rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the inhibition role of Kang'ai injection (KAI) in rats with hepatic fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Animal model with liver fibrosis were induced by 0.01% concentration of diethylnitrosamine (DEN). 30 female Wistar rats (160-200 g) were randomly divided into 3 groups: the KAI-DEN group, the DEN group and the blank control group. The KAI-DEN group was administered Kang'ai injection (1 mL x k(-1), intraperitoneal injection, once a week) and the DEN group was administered normal saline intraperitoneal injection. HE staining and VG special staining of liver tissue were used to evaluate liver fibrosis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with the DEN group, relatively less structural damage and less pseudolobular formation in the KAI-DEN group. Collagen area of the blank control group, the KAI-DEN group and the DEN group were (6.52 +/- 2.64)% , (17.41 +/- 1.112)% and (20.180 +/- 2.519)% , respectively. The difference was statistically significant, P < 0.05.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Kang'ai injection could inhibit the formation of DEN-induced liver fibrosis.</p>