A comparison of the effect of alendronate and You-Gui-Wan on osteoporosis in female rats with kidney-yang deficiency

Background:In traditional Chinese medicine,You-Gui-Wan(YGW)is typically used to treat osteoporosis associated with kidney-yang deficiency.However,there have been few mechanistic studies on the effectiveness of kidney-yang deficiency-type osteoporosis with YGW.To further clarify the role of YGW in the effect of osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency,the study analyzed the therapeutic advantages of YGW by comparing the therapeutic effects of YGW and alendronate(ALN)on osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency.Methods:SPF female SD rats were randomly divided into control,osteoporosis,osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency,osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency+YGW and osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency+ALN groups.Except for the control group,osteoporosis was induced by the removal of bilateral ovaries.After 12 weeks,rats with osteoporosis in the kidney-yang deficiency group had kidney-yang deficiency syndrome triggered by hydrocortisone for 14 days.Rats were treated with YGW or ALN for 12 weeks.The weights of rats were recorded.Hematoxylin-eosin staining staining was used to observe pathological changes in bone trabeculae,liver,spleen,and kidneys of rats.Depletion of the growth plate cartilage of rats in different groups was observed by safranine-O staining.The expression of osteoclast key indices(ACP)and osteoblast key indices(ALP)in the bone tissue of rats in the different groups was observed by immunohistochemical staining.The expression of bone resorption-related indicators(TRAP and NXT-1),bone formation-related indicators(BALP,BGP,and P1NP),and major indicators of kidney-yang deficiency(ACTH,T3,T4,cAMP,and cGMP)were observed using an ELISA detection kit.The expression levels of the main indices of liver function(ALT and AST)were detected in different groups.Results:The differences between the osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency group and osteoporosis group were that the weight of rats and the expression of ACTH,T3,T4,and cAMP decreased significantly,and the expression of cGMP increased in the osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency group.Moreover,both YGW and ALN effectively improved the symptoms of osteoporosis,including the injury of bone trabeculae and growth plates,as well as the expression of bone metabolism-related indicators.However,unlike ALN,YGW simultaneously ameliorated the expression of key indicators of kidney-yang deficiency and prevented weight loss in rats.In addition,YGW caused no obvious damage to the liver,spleen,or kidney,whereas ALN led to liver cirrhosis.Conclusion:The results reveal that YGW plays a crucial part in osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency,increases bone mineral density,and improves bone metabolism indicators,and is safe and efficient for the efficacy of osteoporosis with kidney-yang deficiency.YGW might have a better therapeutic effect on osteoporosis in patients with kidney-yang deficiency.Therefore,alendronate should be used cautiously in patients with osteoporosis and poor liver function.

Observation of tongue picture and tongue and nailbed microcirculation before and after blood dialysis in 125 uremic patients with deficiency of kidney-yang

using a WZD—1 microcirculation microscope,we observed the tongue tipand nail-bed microcirculation of uremic patients with deficiency of kidney-yangbefore and after blood dialysis.The results showed that the pathological basis ofuremia with deficiency of kidney-yang may be microcirculation disturbance,in-crease of metabolites and water retention.The effusion from capillary loops intongue tip may be one of the pathogenetic factors of a swollen and jaggedtongue.The flow rate of blood in capillary loops in the nail-bed was apparentlyabnormal and markedly improved after blood dialysis.The weighted integral ofnail-bed microcirculation decreased from moderately abnormal (4.99±1.52) toapproximately normal (1.98±0.97) (P【0.01).Microcirculation seems to be a sensi-tive criterion for reflecting the pathologic changes of uremia with deficiency ofkidney-yang.

Efficacy of suspended moxibustion stimulating Shenshu(BL23)and Guanyuan(CV4)on the amygdala-HPA axis in rats with kidney-Yang deficiency symptom pattern induced by hydrocortisone

OBJECTIVE:To investigated the effects of suspended moxibustion stimulating Shenshu(BL23)and Guanyuan(CV4)acupoints on the amygdala and HPA axis in our rat model and elucidated the possible molecular mechanisms of moxibustion on kidney-Yang deficiency symptom pattern(KYDS).METHODS:Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group(n=12)and an experimental group(n=48).Rats in the experimental group were given intramuscular injections of hydrocortisone to establish a KYDS model.The 48 rats successfully modeled were then randomly divided into a model group(model,n=12),a carbenoxolone intraperitoneal injection group(CBX,n=12),a moxibustion group(moxi,n=12),and a moxi+CBX group(n=12).In the moxi,the Shenshu(BL23)and Guanyuan(CV 4)acupoints were treated with moxibustion for 14 d.After treatment,measures were taken of serum levels of corticosterone(CORT),adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),and corticotropinreleasing hormone(CRH).The expression of mineralocorticoid receptors(MRs),glucocorticoid receptors(GRs),11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1(11β-HSD1),CRH,and ACTH in the rats’amygdala,hypothalamus,or pituitary(as appropriate)was detected.Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance.RESULTS:Compared with those of the control group,the serum levels of CRH,ACTH,and CORT;the mRNA and protein expressions of MR,GR,and 11β-HSD1 in the amygdala;the mRNA and protein expressions of 11β-HSD1 in the hypothalamus;the CRH mRNA expression in the amygdala and hypothalamus;and the ACTH mRNA expression in the pituitary of the rats in the model group were all significantly decreased(P<0.05 or 0.01).After treatment with moxibustion,all the aforementioned observation indices except for 11β-HSD1 m RNA expression were ameliorated compared with those in the model group(P<0.05 or 0.01).CONCLUSIONS:Suspended moxibustion can effectively improve the serum levels of ACTH,CRH,and CORT and can up-regulate the mRNA and protein expressions of MR,GR,11β-HSD1,CRH,and ACTH in the amygdala and hypothalamus of KYDS rats.This may be one of the molecular mechanisms with which moxibustion alleviates KYDS.

Efficacy of stimulating Mingmen(GV4) and Guanyuan(CV4) on kidney Yang deficiency in rat model: laser irradiation vs traditional moxibustion

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of 10.6-μm laser moxibustion(LM) and traditional moxibustion(TM) on kidney Yang deficiency(KYD) model rats. METHODS: Forty rats were randomly divided into normal, model, 10.6-μm LM, and TM groups. KYD was induced through intramuscular hydrocortisone injections. RESULTS: Hydrocortisone injections decreased the body weight, activity, and temperature and induced changes in the organ coefficients. Compared with the model group, TM and LM treatment prevented body weight loss and improved organ coefficients after treatment(P < 0.05), while the body weight remained lower compared to the normal group(P < 0.01). Additionally, LM and TM significantly increased the levels of urine 17-hydroxycorticosteroid(17-OHCS) compared with the model group(P < 0.01). The LM and TM groups showed a greater distance travelled across the central area, time spent in the central area, and 5-min total distance than the model group in the open field test(P < 0.01). The model group had the lowest anal or surface temperature(P < 0.05);there were no differences among the other three groups(P > 0.05). TM treatment increased the temperature of Mingmen(GV4) and Guanyuan(CV4) compared to the model group(P < 0.05, P < 0.01). LM treatment increased Mingmen(GV4) temperature(P < 0.05), while there were no obvious differences in Guanyuan(CV4) temperature compared with the normal group before and after treatment(P > 0.05). There was a positive correlation between Mingmen(GV4)/Guanyuan(CV4) temperature and 17-OHCS levels. CONCLUSIONS: LM and TM treatment can improve KYD symptoms, and acupoint temperature changes may be an objective indicator of KYD.

Observation on Therapeutic Effects of Acupuncture for Erectile Dysfunction

Objective： To observe the clinical effects of acupuncture treatment for erectile dysfunction. Methods： Eighty-two cases of the patients with erectile dysfunction were identified as two patterns of kidney yang deficiency and damp-heat in lower jiao and were treated with different acupoints for different patterns. Results： The total curative rate was 87.6%. The curative rate was 45.0% in pattern of kidney yang deficiency and 59.1% in pattern of damp-heat in lower jiao. Conclusion： The clinical effect in acupuncture treatment of erectile dysfunction was related to the age of the patients and duration of disease. The higher the age and the longer the duration, the poorer the therapeutic effects were. The curative rate was higher in the treatment of pattern of damp-heat in lower jiao than pattern of kidney yang deficiency.