Efficacy and effect on related brain-gut peptides of acupoint sticking therapy for functional dyspepsia

Objective:To observe the efficacy of acupoint sticking with Jianpi Tongjing Zhitong ointmerrt in the treatment of functional dyspepsia due to liver-qi stagnation and spleen deficiency and its effect on serum 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)and ghrelin con tents.Methods:One hun dred patients with functi onal dyspepsia due to liver-qi stag nation and spleen deficiency were divided into a treatment group and a control group by the random number table method,with 50 cases in each group.The treatment group received acupoint sticking with Jianpi Tongjing Zhitong ointment and the control group was treated with mosapride citrate orally.Patients were treated for 4 weeks as a course.The therapeutic efficacy was compared after one-course treatment and the differences in gastric emptying rate,and serum 5-HT and ghrelin contents between groups were compared before and after treatment.Results:The total effective rate was 79.6%in the control group and 89.4%in the treatment group,showing significantly differe nt between groups(P<0.05).After treatme nt,the gastric empt ying rate and serum ghreli n con tent of the two groups in creased significantly,and the serum 5-HT content decreased significantly,the intra-group differe nces were significant(all P<0.01).After treatment,the gastric emptying rate and serum ghrelin content were significantly higher in the treatment group than those in the control group,while the serum 5-HT was significant lower in the treatment group,the inter-group differences were significant(all P<0.05).A negative correlation(r=-0.59)was observed between serum 5-HT content and gastric emptying rate,and a positive correlation(r=0.64)was observed between serum ghrelin content and gastric emptying rate,showing statistical significance(all P<0.01).Conclusion:Acupoint sticking with Jianpi Tongjing Zhitong ointment has a remarkable ciinical efficacy in treating patie nts with functional dyspepsia due to liver-qi stagnation and spleen deficiency and is able to in fluence the secretion of serum 5-HT and ghrelin-1 mproving the gastrointestinal motility through the regulation of related brain-gut peptides is suggested as an underlying mechanism for this therapy.

Effect of Auricular Point Sticking on Pain Due to Lumbar Strain

Objective： To observe the effect of auricular point sticking on pain due to lumbar strain. Methods： Sixty patients with lumbar strain were randomized at ratio of 1：1 into two groups. The 30 cases in the observation group were given auricular point sticking plus externally applied medicinal plaster; the other 30 cases in a control group were only treated by the plaster. The Short-form of McGill Pain Questionnaire （SFMPQ） was adopted before treatment, after 3-day treatment, and at the end of 2-week treatment, for scoring and evaluation. Results： After 3-day treatment, the observation group gained significant improvement in Pain Rating Index （PRI）, Visual Analogue Scale （VAS）, and Present Pain Intensity （PPI） （P〈0.05）, while the improvements of PRI, VAS, and PPI in the control group were insignificant. After 2-week treatment, both groups gained significant progress in PRI, VAS, AND PPI compared with pre-treatment （P〈0.01）, and the inter-group comparison of PRI showed marked difference （P〈0.05）, but the differences in comparing VAS and PPI between the two groups were insignificant. There were merely any side effects happening in the two groups, except that some patients felt itchy, and the inter-group comparison did not show statistical significance. Conclusion： Auricular point sticking plus externally applied medicinal plaster has better effect than single plaster in treating lumbar strain induced pain, and it＇s safe and credible.