Short and long-term efficacy of combining Fuzhengliqi mixture with acupuncture in treatment of functional constipation

OBJECTIVE: To explore the short and long-term efficacy of combining Fuzhengliqi mixture (FLM) with acupuncture in treating functional constipation (FC). METHODS: The 560 patients with confirmed diagnosis of FC were randomly assigned to four groups: FLM group, acupuncture group, combined therapy group, and control group. There were 140 cases in each group. The FLM group was administered FLM 60 mL twice a day, while the acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at acupoints Tianshu (ST 25), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Zusanli (ST 36), Dachangshu (BL 25), and Zhigou (TE 6) twice a day, the combined therapy group with FLM and acupuncture, and the control group was administered mosapride (5 mg thrice a day) and Macrogol 4000 (10 g twice a day). The treatment lasted 6 weeks. The defecation interval, stool property, constipation symptoms, and accompanying symptomswere recorded, graded, and scored.The gastrointestinal transit time (GITT) and motilin (MTL) level in serum and life quality score were detected at three time points (pre-treatment, at the end of treatment, and 60 weeks post-treatment). Moreover, the adverse reactions were also observed. RESULTS: In the FLM group 2 cases were eliminated for not taking medication strictly according to the research plan and 1 case was lost to follow-up, while 2 cases in the acupuncture group and 2 cases in the combined therapy group were lost to follow-up. Compared with those detected pre-treat- ment, the defecation interval, stool property, consti- pation symptom grade, accompanying symptom grade, and GITT were all decreased markedly at the end of treatment in every group, while the MTL levels in serum and life quality score were increased markedly (P<0.01), the above-mentioned detecting indices were better in the combined therapy group than those in other groups (P<0.05). Compared with the end of treatment, above-mentioned detecting indices all recurred significantly in the FLM group and control group 60 weeks post-treatment (P>0.05), but these indices recurred insignificantly in the acupuncture and combined therapy groups (P>0.05). The short and long-term total effective rates in the combined therapy group were significantly different from those in other groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). No serious adverse reactions were found in four groups. CONCLUSION: Both FLM and acupuncture can significantly shorten the defecation interval and GITT, increase MTL levels in serum, decrease the scores of stool property, constipation symptoms, and accompanying symptoms in patients with FC to increase their life quality. The combined therapy is much better in long-term efficacy and the safety is also good, worth spreading in clinical practice.

Clinical curative effect of electroacupuncture combined with Zhizhukuanzhong Capsules for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease

OBJECTIVE：To study the clinical curative effect,safety and mechanism of action of electroacupuncture combined with Zhizhukuanzhong capsules（ZZKZC） in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease（GERD）.METHODS：A total of 480 patients with confirmed GERD were randomly divided into four groups：the electroacupuncture group,the ZZKZC group,the combined therapy group,and the control group,with 120 cases in each group.Each case in the electroacupuncture group was treated with electroacupuncture on Zusanli（ST36）,Zhongwan（CV12）,Neiguan（PC6）,Taichong（LR3）and Gongsun（SP 4）once daily for 6 weeks.Each case in the ZZKZC group was treated with oral administration of 1.29 g ZZKZC three times daily.The combined therapy group had electroacupuncture and ZZKZC.The control group was given oral administration of 5 mg mosapride three times and 20 mg pantoprazole twice daily.The 24-hour intraesophageal total number of reflux episodes with pH 0.05）;however,these indices all significantly deteriorated in the ZZKZC and control groups（P〉0.05）.The short and long-term total efficacy rates in the combined therapy group showed significant superiority to those in the other groups（P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）.No serious adverse reactions were found in the four groups.CONCLUSION：Electroacupuncture and ZZKZC play an important role in inhibiting intraesophageal acid and bile reflux,decreasing the endoscopic grading score,and alleviating the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux to improve the quality of life.However,the effect of combined treatment is more effective,with better security and long-term efficacy,and therefore,this combination treatment is appropriate for clinicaluse.

Electroacupuncture combined with qibei mixture for diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome:A randomized controlled trial

Objective： To explore the short and long-term efficacy of combining electroacupuncture（EA） and Qibei mixture in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome（IBSD）.Methods： Six hundred and forty-four patients with confirmed IBSD from the Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University in China, recruited from July 2012 to June 2016, were randomly divided into four groups, the EA group, Qibei mixture group, combination group and medication group with 161 patients in each group. The patients in the EA group were treated with EA at zúsānlǐ（足三里ST36）. Gān shù（肝俞BL18）, Pǐshù（脾俞BL20）. Tàichōng（太冲LR36） and Qízhōngsìbiān（脐中四边）once daily for 4 weeks, while the patients in the Qibei mixture group were treated with 50 mL of Qibei mixture twice daily, the combination group with the above-mentioned EA and Qibei mixture, and the medication group with 1 tablet compound diphenoxylate twice, 3 g montmorillonite powder three times and 25 mg amitriptyline twice daily. The defecation frequencies, stool properties, accompanying symptom score, life quality score and adverse reactions were recorded pre-treatment,at the end of treatment and 6 weeks post-treatment for the four groups.Results： Compared with pre-treatment, the defecation frequencies, stool property score and accompanying symptom score were all decreased significantly at the end of treatment in each group（all P〈0.01）,while the scores of nine dimensions of quality of life were all increased significantly（all P〈0.01）. The above-mentioned indices were better in the combination group than in the other groups（all P〈0.05）.Compared with the end of treatment, no significant recurrences of the above-mentioned indices had occurred in the combination group or the EA group at 6 weeks post-treatment（both P〉0.05）, but these indices all recurred significantly in the group given Qibei mixture and the medication group（P〈0.05）.The short-and long-term total effective rates in the combination group both showed significant differences from those in the other groups（P〈0.05, P〈0.01）. No serious adverse reactions occurred in the four groups.Conclusion： EA and Qibei mixture can decrease defecation frequencies, improve stool properties, and alleviate accompanying symptoms to increase life quality, but the therapeutic effect of combination therapy is greater, with better reliability and long-term efficacy.