Effect of catgut embedding at acupoints versus non-acupoints in abdominal obesity:a randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE:To explore the difference of catgut embedding effect between acupoints and non-acupoints in patients with abdominal obesity(AO).METHODS:In this multicenter,double-blind,randomized controlled trial,all subjects were randomly assigned into the acupoint catgut embedding(ACE)group and control group(catgut embedding at non-acupoints).With a 12-week actual intervention period and a 4-week period of follow-up.Waist circumference(WC),body weight,body mass index(BMI),hip circumference(HC)and appetite were applied and assessed at baseline and after 6,12 and 16 weeks.RESULTS:After the total intervention phase(12 weeks),the WC,body weight,BMI,HC and visual analogue scale scores of appetite,decreased significantly in the two groups as compared to the baseline(P<0.001).Meanwhile,after the 4-week follow-up,the indicators still decreased significantly in the ACE group(P<0.001).At 12 and 16 weeks,catgut embedding at acupoints showed significantly advantages to non-acupoints in WC and appetite(P<0.05).No serious adverse events were observed in ACE group and control group.CONCLUSIONS:Catgut embedding at acupoints and non-acupoints are all effective and safe for AO.ACE can effectively treat AO as expected and deliver lasting results.

Electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) acupoint upregulates mRNA expression of NeuroD molecules in the brains of newborn rats suffering in utero fetal distress

Neuro D plays a key regulatory effect on differentiation of neural stem cells into mature neurons in the brain.Thus,we assumed that electroacupuncture at Baihui（DU20） acupoint in newborn rats exposed to in utero fetal distress would influence expression of Neuro D.Electroacupuncture at Baihui was performed for 20 minutes on 3-day-old（Day 3） newborn Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to in utero fetal distress;electroacupuncture parameters consisted of sparse and dense waves at a frequency of 2–10 Hz.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR results demonstrated that m RNA expression of Neuro D,a molecule that indicates Neuro D,increased with prolonged time in brains of newborn rats,and peaked on Day 22.The level of m RNA expression was similar between Day 16 and Day 35.These findings suggest that electro acupuncture at Baihui acupoint could effectively increase m RNA expression of molecules involved in Neuro D in the brains of newborn rats exposed to in utero fetal distress.

Identification and characterization of murine adipose tissue-derived somatic stem cells of Shenque(CV8)acupoint

Background:Shenque(CV8)acupoint is located on the navel and has been therapeutically used for more than 2000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM).However,clinical research on the underlying therapeutic molecular mechanisms of the CV8 acupoint lags far behind.This study aimed to study the mechanisms of umbilical acupoint therapy by using stem cells.Methods:The morphological characteristics of CV8 acupoint were detected under a stereomicroscope using hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)staining.Oil Red,Masson,and immunohistochemical staining on multi-layered slices were used to identify the type of cells at the CV8 acupoint.Cell proliferation was measured by a cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)method.Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were used for cell identification.Induced differentiation was used to compare the differentiation of cells derived from CV8 acupoint and non-acupoint somatic stem cells into other cell types,such as osteogenic,adipogenic,and neural stem cell-like cells.Results:Morphological observations showed that adipose tissues at the linea alba of the CV8 acupoint in mice had a mass-like distribution.Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the distribution of stem cell antigen-1(Sca-1)positive cells in the multi-layered slices of CV8 acupoint tissues.Cells isolated from adipose tissues at the CV8 acupoint exhibited high expression of Sca-1 and CD44 and low expression of CD31 and CD34,and these cells possessed osteogenic,adipogenic,and neurogenic stem cell-like cell differentiation ability.The cell proliferation(day 4:0.5138±0.0111 vs.0.4107±0.0180,t=8.447,P=0.0011;day 5:0.6890±0.0070 vs.0.5520±0.0118,t=17.310,P<0.0001;day 6:0.7320±0.0090 vs.0.6157±0.0123,t=13.190,P=0.0002;and day 7:0.7550±0.0050 vs.0.6313±0.0051,t=42.560,P<0.0001),adipogenic([9.224±0.345]%vs.[3.933±1.800]%,t=5.000,P=0.0075),and neurogenic stem cell-like cell differentiation(diameter<50 mm:7.2000±1.3040 vs.2.6000±0.5477,t=7.273,P<0.0001;diameter 50–100 mm:2.6000±0.5477 vs.1.0000±0.7071,t=4.000,P=0.0039;and diameter>100 mm:2.6000±0.5477 vs.0.8000±0.8367,t=4.025,P=0.0038)were significantly enhanced in somatic stem cells derived from the CV8 acupoint compared to somatic stem cells from the groin non-acupoint.However,cells possessed significantly weaker osteogenicity([2.697±0.627]%vs.[7.254±0.958]%,t=6.893,P=0.0023)in the CV8 acupoint group.Conclusions:Our study showed that CV8 acupoint was rich with adipose tissues that contained abundant somatic stem cells.The biological examination of somatic stem cells derived from the CV8 acupoint provided novel insights for future research on the mechanisms of umbilical therapy.

Progress of Research on Specificity of Meridian Acupoint Efficacy

Acupuncture point specificity is the theoretical basis for meridian and acupuncture theory. Also it is the key factor for the efficacy of acupuncture treatment. Studies on acupoint specificity have aroused wide interest in scholars both at home and abroad. Some researchers abroad do not support acupoint specificity. Chinese scholars have, after years of research, preliminarily confirmed the existence of acupoint specificity. However, there is still no conclusive evidence to support acupoint specificity in terms of its specific physiological foundation, underlying mechanism and laws. This paper summarizes and analyzes basic and clinical researches on acupoint specificity in biological structure, physiology and acupoint effect, provides clues for further studies and develops the theoretical basis for acupont specificity.