Effects of Acupuncture-moxibustion on Monocyte Th1/Th2 Cytokine in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Perennial Allergic Rhinitis / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe the effects of acupuncture-moxibustion on symptoms,signs,and Th1/Th2 cytokine,and regulation on Th1/Th2 in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis(PAR) to provide experimental basis for acupuncture treating allergic rhinitis and investigate the mechanism.Methods:Thirty patients with allergic rhinitis were treated with acupuncture-moxibustion,and 30 healthy cases were the control.Clinical symptoms,signs,and nasal mucosa were observed,and contents of IL-4,IFN-γ,and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the supernatant of peripheral blood monocyte cultured with PHA by ELISA,before treatment,after one course of treatment,and after two courses of treatment.Results:Before the treatment,the contents of IL-4,and GM-CSF were higher (P＜0.01) and IFN-γ was lower (P＜0.01) in the PAR cases than in the control cases.In the PAR cases,the content of GM-CSF was positive correlation with that of IL-4 (P＜0.01),and negative correlation with IFN-γ (P＜0.01).After the treatment,contents of IL-4 and GM-CSF were lowed (P＜0.01),content of IFN-γ was increased (P＜0.05),and all IL-4,GM-CSF and IFN-γ had no difference compared with those in the control cases.Conclusion:Acupuncture moxibustion could improve the symptoms and signs in PAR patients,enhance the immune function.It may be achieved by regulating the expression of Th1 and Th2,correcting the imbalance of Th1/Th2.