COMMENTS ON THE HOLISTIC ACTION OF ACUPUNCTURE IN VIEW OF ITS INFLUENCE ON NERVE-ENDOCRINE-IMMUNE NETWORK

In the present paper, the author makes some comments on the holistic action of acupuncture from the regulative effect on the nerve-endocrine-immune network, and the close relationship between the nerve-endocrine-immune network and the meridian-collateral system of TCM. The wholism concept of TCM refers to the organism being an integrated entirety, and the regulatory effect of acupuncture on functional activities of the organism relies on the integral connection of the acupoint-meridian-collateral-zangfu-organ system. When stimulated with acupuncture, the human body will brings its potential force into full play in preventing and treating diseases.

EFFECT OF ELECTROACUPUNCTURE ON RED BLOOD CELL IMMUNE AND T-CELL SUBGROUP IN THE RAT

In the present study, the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on immune system was observed in the rat by using micro- whole blood direct immunofluorescence staining assay to detect changes of the peripheral blood T lymphocyte subgroup and employing red blood cell (RBC) C 3b receptor- yeast rosette test and red blood cell-IC rosette test to analyze erythrocytic immune function. Results showed that after EA of “Zusanli" (ST 36), CD+ 4, RBC-C 3bRR and RBC-ICR in the peripheral blood of the normal rats increased significantly while CD+ 8 had no any considerable changes and a positive correlation between CD+ 4 and RBC-C 3bRR was found. In immunosuppression model rats, the values of CD+ 4 and RBC-C 3bRR were obviously lower than those of the normal control group while CD+ 8 had no any striking changes; but after EA treatment, there were no evident differences between EA group and normal control group in the above-mentioned indexes. There were also no any significant differences between non-acupoint group and normal control group in those indexes. Results suggest that EA of “Zusanli" (ST 36) can raise T cell immune function and RBC adhesion function in both normal rats and immunosuppression model rats, both of which present a positive correlation.

Research progress on regulations on nerve-endocrine-immune network by acupuncture

In order to explore the mechanism for the functions of acupuncture on nerve-endocrine-immune（NEI） network,authors carried out systematical analysis on the research progress of regulations on nerve-endocrine-immune network by acupuncture,and investigated current problems and future development tendency.It was found that NEI network was the biological basis for human body to maintain homeostasis and it utilized common medium for transmitting information,and the regulations by acupuncture may activate NEI network or its common medium.Science of acupuncture and moxibustion is the systematical science focusing on integrative regulations,and continuous development of system biology and omics techniques have enabled systematical assurance and comprehensive understanding of network regulatory effects and mechanisms by acupuncture to become new development tendencies.

Clinical Observation of Needle-blocking Therapy for Immune Sterility in 79 Cases

Objective： To observe the effect of a needle-blocking treatment on immune sterility. Method： Main points were Ganshu （BL 18）, Shenshu （BL 23）, Xinshu（BL 15）, Geshu（BL 17）, Taichong（LR 3）, Taixi（KI 3）, Shenmen（HT 7） and Xuehai （SP 10）. The method of needle blocking subsequent to its insertion into the point was used to treat 79 patients with immune infertility. Results and conclusion： After 4 months＇ treatment, recovery was attained in 31 cases, marked effectiveness in 38 cases, effectiveness in 3 cases and ineffectiveness in 7 cases, the total effective rate being 91.1%. After the treatment, seminal sperm density, livability and vitality were increased, indicating that a needle-blocking method had a markedly improving effect on the abnormal semen in the patients with immune sterility.

Influence of buccal acupuncture on analgesic effect,immune indicators,and expression of Survivin and Livin proteins in patients with advanced-stage primary liver cancer

Objective To investigate the effects of buccal acupuncture on analgesia,immune indicators,and expression levels of Survivin and Livin proteins in patients with advanced-stage primary liver cancer.Methods Eighty patients with advanced-stage primary liver cancer were selected and divided into control and treatment groups according to the difference in treatment modalities,with 40 patients in each group.The control group received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE),and the treatment group received buccal acupuncture in addition to TACE.The recent efficacy,analgesic effect,liver function,serum tumor markers,Survivin and Livin protein expression levels in liver cancer tissue,and immune indexes were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Results The objective response rate(ORR)and disease control rate(DCR)of the treatment group were 37.5%and 77.5%,respectively,which were significantly higher than those of the control group(22.5%and 52.5%),and the recent efficacy of the treatment group was significantly better than that of the control group(P<0.05).The onset of analgesia in the treatment group was significantly faster than that in the control group(P<0.05),the duration of analgesia was significantly longer than that in the control group(P<0.05),and the numeric rating scale(NRS)score of pain after treatment was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).In the treatment group,the aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),and albumin/globulin(A/G)were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05),and the serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),alpha-L-fucosidase(AFU),and carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05),and the expression levels of Survivin and Livin in liver cancer tissue were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05);CD4^(+)and CD4^(+)/CD8+in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group,and CD8+was significantly lower than that in the control group after treatment(P<0.05).Conclusion Buccal acupuncture can reduce the degree of pain and liver function damage in patients with advanced-stage primary liver cancer and lower the serum tumor marker levels,and its mechanism of action may be related to the down-regulation of Survivin and Livin protein expression levels in the liver cancer tissue and the regulation of the immune function.

Treatment of 52 Cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Active Stage by Acupuncture

Fiftytwo patients exactly diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis in the active stage in clinic were treated by acupuncture plus western medicine, Thirty days made up a course of treatment, There were significant differences in clinical symptoms, signs, and immunological indexes between pretreatment and posttreatment （P〈 0.05, P〈 0.01）. The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the active stage by acupuncture plus western medicine could effectively regulate humoral immunity and enhance the clinical therapeutic effect.

Effect of soothing-liver and nourishing-heart acupuncture on early selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment onset for depressive disorder and related indicators of neuroimmunology:a randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of soothing-liver and nourishing-heart acupuncture on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor(SSRIs) treatment effect onset in patients with depressive disorder and related indicators of neuroimmunology.METHODS:Overall,126 patients with depressive disorder were randomly divided into a medicine and acupuncture-medicine group using a random number table.Patients were treated for 6 consecutive weeks.The two groups were evaluated by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale(MADRS) and Side Effects Rating Scale(SERS) to assess the effect of the soothing-liver and nourishing-heart acupuncture method on early onset of SSRI treatment effect.Changes in serum 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and inflammatory cytokines before and after treatment were recorded and compared between the medicine group and the acupuncture-medicine group.RESULTS:The acupuncture-medicine group had significantly lower MADRS scores at weeks 1,2,4,and 6 after treatment compared with the medicine group(P < 0.01).The acupuncture group had significantly lower SERS scores at weeks 1,2,4,and 6 after treatment compared with the medicine group(P < 0.01).At 6 weeks after treatment,serum 5-HT in the acupuncture-medicine group was significantly higher compared with the medicine group(P <0.01).lnterleukin-6(IL-6) in the acupuncture-medicine group was significantly lower than that in the medicine group(P < 0.01),whereas there was no significant difference in IL-1(3 between the groups(P > 0.05).Anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher in the acupuncture-medicine group compared with the medicine group(P < 0.01,P < 0.05,respectively).CONCLUSION:The soothing-liver and nourishing-heart acupuncture method can effectively accelerate the onset of SSRI effects when treating depressive disorder and can significantly reduce the adverse reactions of SSRIs.Moreover,acupuncture can enhance serum 5-HT and regulate the balance of pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines.