The efficacy and safety of Bazi Bushen Capsule in treating premature aging: A randomized, double blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE: It is unclear whether traditional Chinese patent medicines can resist premature aging. This prospective study investigated the effects of Bazi Bushen Capsule (BZBS) which is a traditional Chinese patent medicine for tonifying the kidney essence on premature senility symptoms and quality of life, telomerase activity and telomere length. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: It was a parallel, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial. Subjects (n = 530) aged 30-78 years were randomized to receive BZBS or placebo capsules 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the clinical feature of change in kidney deficiency for aging evaluation scale (CFCKD-AES) and tilburg frailty indicator (TFI). The secondary outcomes were SF-36, serum sex hormone level, five times sit-to-stand time (FTSST), 6MWT, motor function test-grip strength, balance test, walking speed, muscle mass measurement, telomerase and telomere length. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of treatment, the CFCKD-AES and TFI scores in the BZBS group decreased by 13.79 and 1.50 respectively (6.42 and 0.58 in the placebo group, respectively); The SF-36 in the BZBS group increased by 98.38 (23.79 in the placebo group). The FTSST, motor function test grip strength, balance test, walking speed, and muscle mass in the elderly subgroup were all improved in the BZBS group. The telomerase content in the BZBS group increased by 150.04 ng/ml compared to the placebo group. The fever led one patient in the placebo group to discontinue the trial. One patient in the placebo group withdrew from the trial due to pregnancy. None of the serious AEs led to treatment discontinuation, and 3 AEs (1.14%) were assessed as related to BZBS by the primary investigator. CONCLUSIONS: BZBS can improve premature aging symptoms, frailty scores, and quality of life, as well as improve FTSST, motor function: grip strength, balance test, walking speed, and muscle mass in elderly subgroups of patients, and enhance telomerase activity, but it is not significantly associated with increasing telomere length which is important for healthy aging. TRIAL REGISTRY: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=166181.

[Acupuncture combined with cranial electrotherapy stimulation on generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) on generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). METHODS: A total of 200 patients with GAD were randomized into an acupuncture+CES group, an acupuncture group, a CES group and a medication group, 50 cases in each one. In the medication group, patients were treated with tandospirone citrate tablet orally, 10 mg after breakfast, lunch and dinner respectively. In the CES group, CES was adopted by SCS brain electromedical instrument, 60 min each time, once a day. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Yintang (GV 29), Shenting (GV 24), etc., 30 min each time, once a day. In the acupuncture+CES group, CES was adopted before acupuncture. Treatment of sixty days was required in the 4 groups. Before and after treatment, the scores of Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), World Health Organization's quality of life questionnaire-brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) and treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) were observed, the clinical effect was evaluated, and the relapse of anxiety during follow-up of 1 year after treatment was recorded in the 4 groups. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the scores of HAMA after treatment were decreased (P<0.05), the scores of WHOQOL- BREF after treatment were increased in the 4 groups (P<0.05), and the improvements of above scores in the acupuncture+CES group were greater than the other 3 groups (P<0.05). The score of TESS after treatment and the relapse rate of 1-year follow-up in the medication group were higher than those in the other 3 groups (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the acupuncture+CES group were superior to the other 3 groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with CES can effectively relieve the symptoms in patients with GAD, improve the quality of life, reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions and the relapse rate, and its clinical effect is obviously superior to the western medication, the simple application of acupuncture or CES.

[Factors influencing acupuncture for insomnia].

By analyzing and summarizing the previous research results regarding acupuncture for insomnia, factors influencing the efficacy of acupuncture on insomnia were discussed, and a summary was made from aspects of age, gender, duration of insomnia, use of medication, types of syndrome differentiation, acupoint selection, acupoint combination, acupuncture timing, etc. With respect to the influencing factors, precautions during the clinical syndrome differentiation were briefly reviewed, and the treatment plan of acupuncture for insomnia was optimized, which could provide new methods and thoughts for clinical and scientific research regarding acupuncture for insomnia.

[Observation on clinical efficacy of depression treated with the alliance of acupuncture and medication].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the differences in the clinical efficacy on depression in comparison among the alliance of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, simple herbal medicine and flupentixol and melitracen tablets. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-seven cases were randomized into a Chinese medicine group(75 cases), an acupuncture + medication group(78 cases) and a western medicine group(74 cases). In the Chinese medicine group, Shugan Jianwei Anshen Decoction was prescribed, in which Radix Bupleuri and Radix Paeoniae Alba were the monarch herbs, one dose a day. In the acupuncture + medication group, on the basic treatment of Chinese medicine, acupuncture was combined every day at Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenmen (HT 7), Lingdao (HT 4), Daling (PC 7), Laogong (PC 8), Yongquan (KI 1), etc. In the western medicine group, deanxit was taken orally, 1 tablet after getting up in the morning and after lunch respectively. The treatment lasted for 8 weeks in the three groups. The change of Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score and clinical efficacy were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: In 8 weeks of treatment, in the acupuncture + medication group, 19 cases were cured, 35 cases were markedly effective, 14 cases were effective and 10 cases failed, the effective rate was 87.2%; in the western medicine group, 11 cases were cured, 32 cases were markedly effective, 18 cases were effective and 13 cases failed, the effective rate was 82.4%; in the Chinese medicine group, 5 cases were cured, 14 cases were markedly effective, 35 cases were effective and 21 cases failed, the effective rate was 72.0%. HAMD assessment was done in 8 weeks of treatment, which was (5.71 +/- 4.32) scores in the acupuncture + medication group, (6.09 +/- 3.78) scores in the western medicine group and (9.24 +/- 3.49) in the Chinese medicine group, the differences were significant in the Chinese medicine group compared with the western medicine group and the acupuncture + medication group (both P < 0.05). The differences in the scores after treatment were not significant statistically between the acupuncture + medication group and the western medicine group (both P > 0.05), but the cured and markedly effective rate in the acupuncture + medication group was superior to that in the western medicine group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The alliance of acupuncture and medication achieves the definite efficacy on depression, characterized as less adverse reactions and better safety.

Clinical study on auricular acupoint penetration needling along the skin for treatment of a variety of pain syndrome and dysfunction.

This paper is a summary of clinical studies on auricular acupoint penetration needling along the skin for treatment of pain and dysfunction in recent 10 years. Auricular acupoint penetration needling along the skin was used to observe rapid analgesic effects and clinical efficacy on cervical spondylopathy, periarthritis of shoulder, pain in waist and lower extremities, migraine, and other peripheral neuropathic pain, and stroke sequels, soft tissue injury, and so on. Self-control method was used in the studies at the first stage, and clinically randomized control trial methodwas used for systematic comparison with other therapies at the second stage. Results indicated that the auricular acupoint penetration needling along the skin had obviously clinical effects on cervical spondylopathy, periarthritis of shoulder, pain in waist and lower extremities, migraine, soft tissue injuries and stroke sequels, with a better rapid analgesic effect as compared with ear perpendicular needling method.

[Study on the effects of the auricular acupuncture with different manipulations for rapid analgesia on the patients with lumbar disc hernia].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of the point-to-point needling and perpendicular needling of auricular acupuncture for rapid analgesia on the patients with lumbar disc hernia, and find which method is better for this disease. METHODS: Ninety two patients were paired according to the three factors as sex, age and degree of pain, and then randomly divided into the point-to-point needling group and perpendicular needling group. The methods of point-to-point needling through the skin and perpendicular needling towardS the skin were respectively applied at bilateral lumbar areas as auricular acupuncture, and added acupoints following the change of symptom. All patients accorded with the demands of McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ), before treatment, 5 and 30 min after treatment, the accumulated score of pain was recorded respectively for observing the difference of the effects in both groups. RESULTS: After 5 min treatment, the effect of analgesia on the male patients in the point-to-point needling group was better than that of in the perpendicular needling group (P<0.05), but there was no difference on the female patients in both groups (P>0.05). After 30 min treatment, the effect of analgesia in the point-to-point needling group was better than that of the perpendicular needling group (P<0.05). Besides the patients with light degree pain, there was no significant difference between the two groups after 5 min treatment as score of pain (P>0.05), paired t-test showed that the effects of analgesia on the patients with lumbar disc hernia in the point-to-point needling group was better than that of perpendicular needling group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The point-to-point needling method can rapidly relieve patients' lumbar disc hernia of pain, which is better than the perpendicular needling method.

[Comparison of analgesic effects between subcutaneous penetration needling and straight needling of otopoints in the treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To confirm the better analgesic effect of subcutaneous penetration needling of otopoints for treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis (SHPA) patients. METHODS: Sixty-six SHPA patients were randomized into penetration-needling group (n = 33) and straight needling group (n = 33) by using pairing principle according to the sex and state of disease. Penetration needling was adopted for patients of penetration-needling group, while straight needling was used for those of straight needling group. Simplified McGill Scale was used to evaluate the patients' pain reactions. The pain integral scores were analyzed by using sequential test and pairing t test. RESULTS: Sequential test showed that the analgesic effect of penetration needling was significantly superior to that of straight needling 30 min after the treatment (P < 0.05). Pairing t test results displayed that penetration needling had a marked analgesic effect 5 min and 30 min after the treatment compared with straight needling (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The rapid analgesic effect of penetration needling is superior to that of straight needling in the treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis.

[Survey and prospects of mini-acupuncture system therapy for cervical spondylosis].

The article introduces resent 10 years' application survey of ear acupuncture, abdominal acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, hand acupuncture and other mini-acupuncture system therapies in clinical treatment of cervical spondylopathy, finding out that unique advantages and problems of this therapy in treatment of cervical spondylopathy, and it prospects for clinical application of mini-acupuncture system.