Blood-letting puncture and cupping at Dong's unique extra points for 65 cases of neck type of cervical spondylosis

Objective To observe the clinical effect of blood-letting puncture and cupping at Chōngxiāo（冲霄 Extra） point of Dong＇s unique Extra-ordinary points in the treatment of neck type of cervical spondylosis.Methods Sixty-five patients of neck type of cervical spondylosis were selected and treated with blood-letting puncture and cupping at Chōngxiāo（冲霄 Extra） point once every two or three days,three times constituted one course and two successive courses were given,then the clinical effect was evaluated.Results The curative rate was 69.2%（45/65）,and the total effective rate was 92.3%（60/65）.Conclusion Blood-letting puncture and cupping at Dong＇s Chōngxiāo（冲霄 Extra） point can be used to treat neck type of cervical spondylosis with simple manipulation and obvious efficacy.

Bloodletting Puncture at Hand Twelve Jing-Well Points Relieves Brain Edema after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats via Inhibiting MAPK Signaling Pathway

Objective:To investigate whether blood-brain barrier(BBB)served a key role in the edema-relief effect of bloodletting puncture at hand twelve Jing-well points(HTWP)in traumatic brain injury(TBI)and the potential molecular signaling pathways.Methods:Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to the shamoperated(sham),TBI,and bloodletting puncture(bloodletting)groups(n=24 per group)using a randomized number table.The TBI model rats were induced by cortical contusion and then bloodletting puncture were performed at HTWP twice a day for 2 days.The neurological function and cerebral edema were evaluated by modified neurological severity score(mNSS),cerebral water content,magnetic resonance imaging and hematoxylin and eosin staining.Cerebral blood flow was measured by laser speckles.The protein levels of aquaporin 4(AQP4),matrix metalloproteinases 9(MMP9)and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway(MAPK)signaling were detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.Results:Compared with TBI group,bloodletting puncture improved neurological function at 24 and 48 h,alleviated cerebral edema at 48 h,and reduced the permeability of BBB induced by TBI(all P<0.05).The AQP4 and MMP9 which would disrupt the integrity of BBB were downregulated by bloodletting puncture(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In addition,the extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)and p38 signaling pathways were inhibited by bloodletting puncture(P<0.05).Conclusions:Bloodletting puncture at HTWP might play a significant role in protecting BBB through regulating the expressions of MMP9 and AQP4 as well as corresponding regulatory upstream ERK and p38 signaling pathways.Therefore,bloodletting puncture at HTWP may be a promising therapeutic strategy for TBI-induced cerebral edema.