CLINICAL STUDY ON SPLEEN-STOMACH-REINFORCING MOXIBUSTION TREATMENT OF DIARRHEA-TYPE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME

In the present paper, the therapeutic effect of spleen- stomach- reinforcing moxibustion for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is observed and its underlying mechanisms on immunity are analyzed. A total of 72 IBS patients are randomly divided into moxibustion group (n= 46) and acupuncture group (control group, n = 26). Acu-points used are Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6) and Zusanli (ST 36), etc. Serum IgG, IgA and IgM contents, blood T-lympocytes (T3+, T4+, T8+) counts, T4+ /T8+, cancer embryonic antigen (CEA) content, serum IL-2 and slL-2R contents are assayed for evaluating changes of the immunocompetence. After two courses of treatment (24 sessions), results show that in moxibustion group, 25 cases (54.35%) are cured, 17 experience improvement in clinical symptoms and 4 have no apparent changes, with an effective rate of 91.30% ; in control group, 8 cases (30. 78%) are cured, 12 experience improvement and 6 have no marked improvement, with an effective rate of 76.92% . The therapeutic effect of moxibustion is significantly superior to that of acupuncture (P<0.01). In addition, moxibustion can effectively rectify abnormal immune function and stabilize human's immunity. This research provides a reliable experimental basis for clinical application of 'principal prescription of moxibustion for reinforcing the spleen and stomach'.

Component analysis of Chinese medicine and advances in fuming-washing therapy for knee osteoarthritis via unsupervised data mining methods

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the component law of Chinese medicines in fuming-washing therapy for knee osteoarthritis(KOA), and develop new fuming-washing prescriptions for KOA through unsupervised data mining methods.METHODS: Chinese medicine recipes for fuming-washing therapy for KOA were collected and recorded in a database. The correlation coefficient among herbs, core combinations of herbs, andnew prescriptions were analyzed using modified mutual information, complex system entropy cluster, and unsupervised hierarchical clustering, respectively.RESULTS: Based on analysis of 345 Chinese medicine recipes for fuming-washing therapy, 68 herbs occurred frequently, 33 herb pairs occurred frequently, and 12 core combinations were found.Five new fuming-washing recipes for KOA were developed.CONCLUSION: Chinese medicines for fuming-washing therapy of KOA mainly consist of wind-dampness-dispelling and cold-dispersing herbs, blood-activating and stasis-resolving herbs,and wind-dampness-dispelling and heat-clearing herbs. The treatment of fuming-washing therapy for KOA also includes dispelling wind-dampness and dispersing cold, activating blood and resolving stasis, and dispelling wind-dampness and clearing heat. Zhenzhutougucao(Herba Speranskiae Tuberculatae), Honghua(Flos Carthami), Niuxi(Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), Shenjincao(Herba Lycopodii Japonici), Weilingxian(Radix et Rhizoma Clematidis Chinensis), Chuanwu(Radix Aconiti), Haitongpi(Cortex Erythrinae Variegatae), Ruxiang(Olibanum),Danggui(Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Caowu(Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii), Moyao(Myrrha), and Aiye(Folium Artemisiae Argyi) are the main herbs used in the fuming-washing treatment for KOA.