Hidden correlation of the effect mechanism on chronic gastritis treated with ginger-isolated moxibustion at different single acupoints

Objective: To observe the differences in the effects and mechanisms on chronic gastritis treated by ginger-isolated moxibustion at Zúsānlǐ(足三里ST 36) and Nèiguān(内关PC 6).Methods: A total of 60 eligible patients of chronic gastritis were randomized into two groups, a ST 36 group(ginger-isolated moxibustion at ST 36, 30 cases) and a PC 6 group(ginger-isolated moxibustion at PC 6, 30 cases). Before and after 6 treatments, the total variability of heart rate(TV) and the scores in Scale for gastrointestinal diseases of traditional Chinese medicine were determined and recorded. Using correlation analysis, the hidden correlation condition that affects the therapeutic outcomes was excavated from the data. With least square method, the gradient curve(K value) of TV in treatment was estimated and the correlation between the effect mechanism and autonomic nerve regulation was excavated.Results: ① In ST 36 group, the duration of sickness, severity of disease and the activity of autonomic nerve before treatment presented the underlying correlation with the therapeutic effects. In contrast, the hidden correlation in PC 6 group was not clear. ② In ST 36 group, the higher K value of TV in treatment was, the more significant the therapeutic effects were, but in PC group, K value was reversely related to the therapeutic effects.Conclusion: The therapeutic effects of ginger-isolated moxibustion at single acupoint are correlated with the duration and severity of sickness. The therapeutic effects in ST 36 group were improved by the modulation of autonomic nerve activity and the effects in PC 6 group were negatively correlated with autonomic nerve activity. It is deduced that the effect mechanisms are different on single acupoint for chronic gastritis between the two points.