A hippocampal anti-hypertensive mechanism induced by twirling reinforcing-reducing manipulation in rats

Objective:To investigate a hippocampal anti-hypertensive mechanism induced by twirling reinforcingreducing manipulation(TRRM)using proteomics in rats.Methods:Forty-two male spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly divided into 3 groups,and 14 Wistar-Kyoto rats were served as control group.In the twirling reinforcing(TRF)group,needles were directly inserted into the Taichong(LR 3)point,then thumbs were moved heavily forward and lightly backward for 3 min,while needles remained inserted for 17 min.In the twirling reduction(TRD)group,the same treatment was applied as in the TRF group except that the thumb moved lightly forward and heavily backward.In the model and control groups,only the corresponding grasping and fixation were applied.All interventions were conducted for 14 days.The blood pressure(BP)of all rats was measured one day before intervention and every other day after.Then hematoxylin-eosin(H&E)staining,label-free and parallel reaction monitoring proteomic techniques were used to assess hippocampal samples from each group.Results:Systolic BPs showed a significant decrease in the TRF and TRD groups compared with the model group(P<.01).In the model group,H&E staining showed obvious pathological changes in the hippocampus,while in the TRF and TRD groups,the hippocampal morphology was only slightly altered.Labelfree proteomic analysis revealed 1163 differential protein expressions between groups.Gene Ontology enrichment analysis confirmed that the differentially expressed proteins were enriched in different biological processes,cellular components,and molecular functions.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis showed that TRRM proteins were expressed in the serotonergic synapse pathway,renin-angiotensin system,the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway,and the peroxisome pathway,which were all also related to BP regulation.Conclusion:TRRM can significantly lower the BP of SHRs.The mode of action may be through the activation of various protein pathways in the hippocampus that are related to BP regulation.

Effect of complex reinforcing-reducing manipulation on lower limb motion and balance disorder in patients with subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord

Objective：To observe the effect of complex reinforcing [Shao Shan Huo （Mountain-burning Fire）] and reducing [Tou Tian Liang （Heaven-penetrating Cooling）] manipulations on motion and balance of the lower limbs in patients with subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord （SCD）. Methods：A total of 100 SCD cases were randomly allocated into an observation group and a control group by their visit sequence, 50 cases in each group. On the basis of Western medical treatment, cases in the observation group were also treated with acupuncture therapy plus complex reinforcing-reducing manipulation; whereas cases in the control group were only treated with the same Western medical treatment as those in the observation group. Before and 2 months after treatment, kinematic parameters including muscle force, muscle tone and range of motion of the hip and knee joints were measured. In addition, balancing parameters including the path length of center of pressure （COP）, peripheral area, COP path length per unit area and rectangular area were also measured before and after treatment. Results：After treatment, there were statistical intra-group differences in COP path length, peripheral area, COP path length per unit area, left-right offset, rectangular area, coefficient of stability and coefficient of weight distribution （P〈0.01）. There were statistical inter-group differences in muscle force, muscle tone and range of motion of hip and knee joints （P〈0.01）. The total effective rate was 83.3% in the observation group, versus 60.0% in the control group, showing a statistical difference （P〈0.05）. Conclusion：Complex reinforcing-reducing manipulations can improve the lower limb motion and balance in SCD patients.

Effect of complex reinforcing-reducing manipulations on hip and knee flexion and extension angles after surgery of gluteus maximus contracture

Objective： To observe the effect of complex reinforcing-reducing manipulations of acupuncture on flexion and extension angles of hip and knee in patients after surgical treatment of gluteus maximus contracture. 〈br〉 Methods： A total of 66 cases following surgery of gluteus maximus contracture were randomly allocated into an observation group and a control group by the random digits table, 33 in each group. In addition to basic treatment, cases in the observation group were treated with reducing manipulation [Tou T ian Liang （Heaven-penetrating Cooling）] on Zhibian （BL 54）, Huantiao （GB 30） and Juliao （GB 29） on the affected side and reinforcing manipulation [Shao Shan Huo （Mountain-burning Fire）] on Biguan （ST 31）, Futu （ST 32）, Zusanli （ST 36）, Fenglong （ST 40）, Xuehai （SP 10）, Diji （SP 8） and Yanglingquan （GB 34）. Patients in the control group only received the same basic treatment as the observation group. The treatment was done once a day, 30 d for a course and a 1-week interval between two courses. Then the flexion and extension angles of hip and knee were evaluated using the Lokomat full automatic robot gait evaluation system after 3 courses of treatment. 〈br〉 Results：There were intra-group statistical differences in hip flexion angle on foot followed （HFA-FF）, the maximum of hip flexion angle （MAX-HFA）, the maximum of hip extension angle （MAX-HEA）, knee flexion angle on foot followed （KFA-FF）, the maximum of knee flexion angle on stance phase （MAX-KFA-TP） and the maximum of knee flexion angle on swing phase （MAX-KFA-WP） in the observation group and in HFA-FF, MAX-HEA and KFA-FF in the control group （P＆lt;0.05）. There were between-group statistical differences in HFA-FF, MAX-HFA, MAX-HEA, KFA-FF and MAX-KFA-TP （P＆lt;0.05）. 〈br〉 Conclusion： The complex reinforcing-reducing manipulations of acupuncture can effectively improve the hip/knee functions following surgery of gluteus maximus contracture.

Observation on lower-reinforcing and upper- reducing acupuncture method for hyperplasia of mammary gland and its influence on estradiol and progesterone

Objective： To observe the clinical effect of lower-reinforcing and upper-reducing acupuncture method for hyperplasia of mammary gland （HMG） and its influence on estradiol （E2） and progesterone （P）. Methods： A randomized, single-blinded and controlled trial was conducted. A total of 124 cases conforming to the inclusion criteria were randomized by random number table into a treatment group and a control group, with 62 cases in each group. Patients in both groups received acupuncture therapy at the same acupoints, while patients in the treatment group received lower-reinforcing and upper-reducing method, and patients in the control group received even reinforcing-reducing manipulation. The treatment started around 10 d before menstruation and was conducted every other day. Patients received 5 treatments in each menstruation cycle for consecutive 3 cycles. The levels of E2, P and E2/P and clinical efficacy were measured before and after treatment. Results： After treatment, the breast lump size, pain intensity and concomitant symptoms score in both groups were substantially lower than those before treatment, showing statistical significances （all P〈0.01）, and the improvement in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group, and the between-group comparisons showed statistical significances （all P〈0.01）. After treatment, the overall effective rate was 91.9% in the treatment group, higher than 72.6% in the control group, and the between-group comparison showed a statistical significance （P〈0.01）. After treatment, levels of E2, P and E2/P value showed no statistical significance when compared with those before treatment in the two groups （all P〉0.05）. Conclusion： Lower-reinforcing and upper-reducing acupuncture method can effectively alleviate clinical symptoms and signs in HMG patients, and produce a better effect than even reinforcing-reducing manipulation. The majority of HMG patients＇ E2, P level and E2/P value were not beyond the normal ranges; therefore, acupuncture showed no substantial influence on E2 and P levels and E2/P value.

Different manual manipulations and electrical parameters exert different therapeutic effects of acupuncture

Acupuncture is an important component part of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM). The therapeutic effects may be influenced by a variety of factors.Stimulation quantity is one of the factors for achieving good therapeutic effects in acupuncture practice. With the development of science and technology, besides the influence of manual manipulations, the parameters adopted for electroacupuncture have become the benchmark of stimulation quantity. This study, by referring to the related literatures, is designed to explore the influence of manual manipulations and electrical parameters on therapeutic effects of acupuncture. The results from the present study show that different manualmanipulations and electrical parameters may exert different therapeutic effects of acupuncture, which are closely related to the characteristics of diseases.Different manual manipulations and electrical parameters should be adopted according to syndrome differentiation of TCM. This is very important in acupuncture treatment.

Therapeutic Efficacy Observation on ‘Setting Fire on the Mountain’ Manipulation by Lu Shou-yan for Cervical Radiculopathy

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of ‘setting fire on the mountain' manipulation by Lu Shou-yan for cervical radiculopathy as well as the infrared thermographic changes of the cervical area before and after treatment. Methods: A total of 120 eligible cases with cervical radiculopathy were randomly allocated into an observation group and a control group, 60 in each group. Cases in the observation group were treated with Lu Shou-yan's ‘setting fire on the mountain' manipulation, whereas cases in the control group were treated with even reinforcing-reducing manipulation. After two courses of treatment, the infrared thermographic changes and overall therapeutic efficacies in the two groups were compared. Results: The recovery rate and total effective rate in the observation group were 68.3% and 98.3% respectively, versus 28.3% and 81.7% in the control group, showing statistical differences in recovery rate and total effective rate(both P < 0.01). There was between-group statistical significance in comparing the infrared thermography after treatment(P<0.01). Conclusion: ‘Setting fire on the mountain' manipulation by Lu Shou-yan is better than even reinforcing-reducing manipulation for cervical radiculopathy.

Introduction to LU Shou-yan's Acupuncture Theory

LU considers that correct manipulations are essential to the therapeutic effect. Reinforcing and reducing manipulations are especially important for zang-fu problems. He summarized the typical reinforcing-reducing manipulations： mountain-fire burning and heaven-penetrating cooling method as follows.

Introduction to Prof. HUANG Xian-ming's Needling Techniques

In his over seventy-year practice of Chinese medicine, Prof. HUANG Xian-ming inherited plentiful academic experience from his father, Mr. HUANG Hong-fang and has a thorough understanding of the needling techniques described in Nei Jing （ Inner Canon ） and has developed his own school in the clinical treatment. Prof. HUANG believes that the manipulating skills of the needling techniques are the key to the therapeutic effects, and the needling techniques include the tonifying, reducing, warming, clarifying, ascending, descending, diminishing and opening skills. Among them, the tonifying technique is able to support the anti-pathogenic ability and get rid of deficiency, often used for diseases and patterns induced by insufficiency of qi and blood and low immunity. The reducing technique is used to reduce excessive symptoms and dissipate the pathogens, often used for pathogenic patterns of hyperactive pathogenic heat, qi stagnation and blood stasis, and muscular spasm and swelling.