Heat-sensitive moxibustion attenuates the inflammation after focal cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion injury

Heat-sensitive moxibustion has neuroprotective effects against focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, however its mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, rat models of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were treated with suspended moxibustion at acupoint Dazhui （DU14） for 35 minutes. Results showed that suspended moxibustion decreased infarct volume, reduced cortical myeloperoxidase activity, and suppressed serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines in rats with focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Our experimental findings indicated that heat-sensitive moxibustion can attenuate inflammation and promote repair after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Anti-inflammatory Effect of Heat-sensitive Moxibustion via the NF-κB Signaling Pathway on Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Ischemic stroke is universally acknowledged as a common cause of long-term disability or even death. Suspended moxibustion, an indirect form of moxibustion, is when moxibustion is placed superficially over the skin without being in contact with it. Some researchers have used this method to treat stroke patients, but strong evidence of its therapeutic effectiveness is lacking. However, the effect of traditional suspended moxibustion has recently been improved with the development of heat-sensitive suspended moxibustion. Our previous studies showed that moxibustion for 35 min provided a more effective treatment strategy than moxibustion for 15 min, and moxibustion by 35 min with tail temperature increase had a better outcome than that without, however, the mechanism underlying the effect is not clear. In this study, we treated the stroke rats with moxibustion by 35min and divided them into non-heat sensitive moxibustion(NHSM) group and heat sensitive moxibustion (HSM) group according to difference in the tail temperature increase, then we compared the effect and investigated the mechanisms between NHSM and HSM. We found that HSM significantly decreased tail-flick latency, increased neurological function score, decreased infarct volume, reduced inflammatory cells, decreased the expression of inflammatory factor ICAM-1 and reduced the expression of NF-κB p65 and p-IKKα/β in rats with focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Our experimental findings revealed that HSM exerted its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects from MCAO-induced injury by decreasing the expression of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

The molecular mechanism of meridian qi sensory transmission by heat-sensitive moxibustion in the treatment of cerebral infarction

Background:To explore the potential mechanism of thermal moxibustion in the treatment of i schemic strok e by using the method of network pharmacology and to partially explain the mechanism of acupoint meridian qi sense transmission.Methods:In this project,a training set was formed by researching the intersection of the reported components of M ugwort leaves that entered the blood after combustion and obtained the targets of heat-sensitive moxibustion meridian qi sensing and thermal effect by querying the literature.The Encyclopedia of Tr ad itional Chinese Medicine is used to search and screen the highly active chemical constituents of Artemisia argyi to predict potential targets;search i schemic strok e-related targets through GeneCards,O nline Mendelian Inheritance in Man,Drugbank databases.Gene Oncology functional analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the potential targets of the blood components of Artemisia argyi and molecular docking simulated the binding activity of key candidate active components and core genes.Results:192 ischemic stroke disease targets with r elevance score greater than 10 were screened out for analysis.Through the database Encyclopedia of Tr ad itional Chinese Medicine query of the action targets(243)of Mugwort leaves and the intersection of heat-sensitive moxibustion effect targets and ischemic stroke-related targets,a Venn diagram was drawn and a total of 17 were obtained.Finally,the effective components of Mugwort leaves into the blood were screened out.Five main volatile components were molecularly docked with 17 targets and 9 targets of acupoint meridian gas sensing/thermal effect.The docking results showed that the main volatile components showed good affinities for binding to key targets,respectively.Conclusion:Using the characteristics of“multi-component-multi-target-multi-pathway”of traditional Chinese medicine,the potential mechanism of action of Artemisia argyi in the treatment of i schemic strok e is explored,which provides a certain basis for the follow-up scientific research and clinical application of Artemisia argyi in the treatment of IS.

中医灸法治疗卵巢损伤的临床疗效和实验研究进展

This review summarizes the clinical efficacy and experimental research of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)moxibustion in the intervention of ovarian injury.Clinical and experimental research results have shown that as a nonpharmacological treatment method,Chinese medical moxibustion therapy is of great significance in the treatment of ovarian injuries such as diminished ovarian reserve,polycystic ovarian syndrome,premature ovarian failure,and premature ovarian insufficiency.Moxibustion,heat-sensitive moxibustion,and electroacupuncture have significant effects in improving ovarian func-tion,overall treatment efficacy,pregnancy rate,ovulation rate,and sex hormone levels and have higher safety.Their therapeutic mechanisms have also been demonstrated.In conclusion,TCM moxibustion therapy has a significant effect in the treatment of ovarian injury,providing a new option for the treatment of the ovarian injury.

Effect and cerebral mechanism of moxibustion at heat-sensitized Yaoyangguan(GV3)in patients with lumbar disc herniation and myofascial pain syndrome by resting-state functionality magnetic resonance imaging:protocol for an observational study

We want to explore the analgesic brain effect of the moxibustion at heat-sensitized Yaoyangguan(GV3)in patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH)and myofascial pain syndrome(MPS).In an assessor-blinded observational study,we will include 15 LDH and 15 MPS.They will accept same treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion at Yaoyangguan(GV3).The resting-state functionality magnetic resonance imaging image data of brain activities before and after treatment will be analyzed by mean fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation,regional homogeneity analysis and brain functional connection.We select seed of first sensory cortex,second sensory cortex,insula cortex,periaqueductal gray and anterior cingulate cortex as the regions of interest to analyse the relationship between brain functional connectivity of pain-related networks and clinical data.Our study could disclose key brain targets and central response characteristics of the analgesic brain effect and the brain functional connection of heat-sensitive moxibustion.

腧穴热敏灸治疗哮喘慢性持续期的临床观察

目的:比较腧穴热敏灸和西药舒利迭治疗哮喘慢性持续期的差异。方法:选取2011年5月至2012年11月广州中医药大学第一附属医院和广东省第二中医院收治的符合标准的哮喘慢性持续期患者30例作为研究对象,按照随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组,每组15例。观察组采用足太阳膀胱经的肺俞穴和膈俞穴之间施行温和悬灸。疗程:隔日治疗1次,1个月为1个疗程,治疗3个疗程。对照组采用舒利迭,1吸/次,2次/d,1个月为1个疗程,治疗3个疗程。比较2组患者肺通气功能,临床症状单项评分及总分评定和临床疗效。2组患者均于于治疗前、治疗第30天、治疗第60天观察。结果:2组患者肺通气功能比较:2组患者治疗后3个月、治疗后6个月的肺通气功能(PEF、FEV1)均较治疗前有所提高,治疗前后比较差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05);且治疗后3个月、治疗后6个月观察组较对照组提高的更加明显(均P<0.05)。临床症状评分比较:治疗后3个月、治疗后6个月,2组患者症状单项评分和症状总分评分较治疗前均有上升,比较有统计学意义(均P<0.05);且治疗后3个月、治疗后6个月观察组较对照组临床症状评分提高的更加明显(均P<0.05),说明腧穴热敏和西药对哮喘慢性持续期均有改善的作用,观察组优于对照组。2组患者临床疗效比较:观察组有效率为80.0%,对照组为53.3%,2组患者总有效率比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:腧穴热敏灸治疗哮喘慢性持续期在改善肺通气功能、临床症状观察评分、临床疗效判定方面均优于西药舒利迭,值得临床推广。

热敏灸辅助治疗普通型新冠肺炎42例

Objective:To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of adjuvant treatment with heat-sensitive moxibustion for coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)of the ordinary type.Methods:A total of 42 patients with COVID-19 of the ordinary type were adopted.Shenque(神阙CV8)and Tianshu(天枢ST25)were selected.Heat-sensitive moxibustion was operated according to the required standard,40 min to 60 min each time,once daily.Before and after moxibustion,the improvements in clinical symptoms were evaluated,such as chest oppression,poor appetite,lassitude and negative emotions.Results:(1)The number of cases and the incidence was 21 cases(50.0%),24 cases(57.1%)and 26 cases(61.9%)for chest oppression,poor appetite and lassitude before heat-sensitive moxibustion.The number of cases was reduced to be 10 cases(23.8%),7 cases(16.7%)and 4 cases(9.5%)after the 1 st treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion for chest oppression,poor appetite,and lassitude.It was reduced to be 11 cases(26.2%),8 cases(19.0%)and 4 cases(9.5%)after the 2 nd treatment of moxibustion and it was reduced to be 18 cases(42.9%),10 cases(23.8%)and 6 cases(14.3%)after the 3 rd treatment of moxibustion.The incidences of the symptoms were all reduced obviously as compared with those before treatment.(2)Before treatment with heat-sensitive moxibustion,there were 24 cases of negative emotions(57.1%).It was reduced to be 16 cases(38.1%),11 cases(26.2%)and 3 cases(7.1%)after the 1 st,2 nd and 3 rd treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion successively.The incidences were all reduced obviously as compared with those before treatment.(3)After the 1 st treatment,the active acceptance rate of heat-sensitive moxibustion was 100%(42/42)in the patients,higher than 11.9%(5/42)before treatment.Conclusion:Adjuvant treatment with heat-sensitive moxibustion effectively relieves the symptoms of COVID-19 such as chest oppression,poor appetite and lassitude,and alleviates the negative emotions,such as tension and anxiety.This therapy improves the therapeutic effect of COVID-19 and deserves to be promoted in clinical practice.

定位旋转斜扳法配合压灸百会穴治疗椎动脉型颈椎病疗效观察

目的：观察旋转定位斜扳法配合百会穴压灸治疗椎动脉型颈椎病的疗效。方法：将80例患者随机分为治疗组和对照组，对照组给予理筋手法及百会穴压灸法，治疗组在对照组治疗基础上施以旋转定位斜扳法，比较两组临床疗效。结果：治疗组总有效率为97.4%，高于对照组的86.5%（P<0.05）。结论：旋转定位斜扳法结合百会穴压灸治疗椎动脉型颈椎病操作简便，疗效显著，适于在社区康复服务中推广。