An Investigation of Moxibustion Treatment for Abscesses in the Song Dynasty:Focusing on the“Jiu Ai Tu”

Jiu Ai Tu(The Moxa Treatment)from the Song dynasty is the earliest surviving painting that focuses on the subject of acupuncture and moxibustion.This paper takes the medical activities depicted in the artwork as its research object and systematically analyzes the external treatment methods for abscesses during the Song dynasty reflected in Jiu Ai Tu.By examining the understanding of abscesses during that period,the paper explores the level of development in external medicine techniques.By analyzing the medical awareness and behaviors of patients when facing such severe illnesses,it aims to explore the societal cognition and experiences regarding health and disease.The paper attempts to present the folk medical ecology of the Song dynasty represented by Jiu Ai Tu.

Integration of traditional,complementary,and alternative medicine with modern biomedicine:the scientization,evidence,and challenges for integration of traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional medicine has garnered significant global recognition,with an estimated 80%of the global population using it.Therefore,it is essential to fully understand the integration of traditional medicines into current healthcare systems.This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the standard process to modernize traditional medicine scientifically in the context of modern biomedicine,further termed here as“scientization”.Specifically,we aim to summarize the advancements made in understanding the efficacy,effectiveness,and underlying mechanisms of herbal medicine.We also examined the transition from experience-to evidence-based medicine during acupuncture.Furthermore,we explore the development of universal safety and quality control standards.Finally,we discuss international trade and export markets for Chinese medical products.The development and integration of traditional medicine have allowed it to further improve human health,resulting in a more comprehensive health solution for the global population.

Curved Spine:The Shape of Spine in Taoist Body Diagrams and Its Influence on Medical Body Diagrams

From the early Taoist diagrams of the human body to the end of the Qing dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China,Taoists exaggerated and deformed the human spine in a shape-shifting manner.It is likely that medical practitioners were influenced by this style of representation,and there are also numerous diagrams of the human body with the curved spine in the lateral-view diagrams of viscera and Ming Tang Tu(明堂图Acupuncture and Moxibustion Chart),which constantly show the human torso in an elliptical“egg shape”.No later than the Ming dynasty,medical practitioners began to depict the actual physiological spinal curve of the human body.By the Qing dynasty,the depiction of the spinal curve in medical diagrams of the human figure showed a tendency to part ways with the Taoist freehand style of the previous generation.Although the representation of the curve of the spine was very crude,later medical images of the human body at least gradually straightened the spine and no longer depicted it in a shape-shifting manner.However,the curved spine in Taoist diagrams of the human body continued to exist,and the presentation of the curved spine never changed.This way of depicting its appearance,which is very different from reality,is shaped by Taoism's special way of perceiving and viewing the body,and may also contain another form of truth.

Comparison of the analgesic effects between electro-acupuncture and moxibustion with visceral hypersensitivity rats in irritable bowel syndrome

AIM To observe whether there are differences in the effects of electro-acupuncture(EA) and moxibustion(Mox) in rats with visceral hypersensitivity. METHODS EA at 1 m A and 3 m A and Mox at 43?℃ and 46?℃ were applied to the Shangjuxu(ST37, bilateral) acupoints in model rats with visceral hypersensitivity. Responses of wide dynamic range neurons in dorsal horns of the spinal cord were observed through the extracellular recordings. Mast cells(MC) activity in the colons of rats were assessed, and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor(5-HT3R) and 5-HT4Rexpressions in the colons were measured.RESULTS Compared with normal control group, responses of wide dynamic range neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord were increased in the EA at 1 m A and 3 m A groups(1 m A: 0.84 ± 0.74 vs 2.73 ± 0.65, P < 0.001; 3 m A: 1.91 ± 1.48 vs 6.44 ± 1.26, P < 0.001) and Mox at 43?℃ and 46?℃ groups(43?℃: 1.76 ± 0.81 vs 4.14 ± 1.83, P = 0.001; 46?℃: 5.19 ± 2.03 vs 7.91 ± 2.27, P = 0.01). MC degranulation rates and the expression of 5-HT, 5-HT3 R and 5-HT4 R in the colon of Mox 46?℃ group were decreased compared with model group(MC degranulation rates: 0.47 ± 0.56 vs 0.28 ± 0.78, P < 0.001; 5-HT: 1.42 ± 0.65 vs 7.38 ± 1.12, P < 0.001; 5-HT3R: 6.62 ± 0.77 vs 2.86 ± 0.88, P < 0.001; 5-HT4R: 4.62 ± 0.65 vs 2.22 ± 0.97, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The analgesic effects of Mox at 46?℃ are greater than those of Mox at 43?℃, EA 1 m A and EA 3 m A.

ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION TREATMENT OF HICCUP

From the conception of Traditional ChineseMedicine (TCM),pathogenic causes of hiccup(diaphragmatic spasm) are:(1) improper diet,such as ingestion of excessive cold and raw foods,resulting in failure of descent of the stomach-qi,and adverse rising of qi;(2) emotional disturban-

HOW TO TREAT SIMULTANEOUS OCCURRENCE OF COLD AND HEAT SYNDROMES WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION?

By simultaneous occurrences of cold and heat syndromes we mean the presence of cold-syndrome and heat-syndrome in the body of a same person such as heat-syndrome in the upper part with cold-syndrome in the lower part of the body or vice versa. In our acupuncture treatment, heat-clearing method and warming method are usually used

Acupuncture improves dendritic structure and spatial learning and memory ability of Alzheimer's disease mice

Acupuncture can improve the cognitive state of Alzheimer＇s disease, but its mechanism is not clear. Dendritic atrophy and synaptic loss in Alzheimer＇s disease brain are positively correlated with cognitive damage. Therefore, we speculated that the effect of acupuncture on improving cognitive function may be associated with reduced dendritic damage in the brain. Acupuncture at Qihai（CV6）, Zhongwan（CV12）, Danzhong（CV17）, bilateral Zusanli（ST36）, and bilateral Xuehai（SP10） acupoints was performed once a day（1-day rest after 6-day treatment） for 14 consecutive days. Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8（SAMP8） mice without acupuncture and senescence-accelerated mouse resistant 1（SAMR1） mice were used as normal controls. After 14 days of treatment, spatial learning and memory ability of mice was assessed in each group using the Morris water maze. Dendritic changes of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region were analyzed by quantitative Golgi staining. Our results showed that acupuncture shortened escape latency and lengthened retention time of the former platform quadrant in SAMP8 mice. Further, SAMP8 mice exhibited a significant increase in the number of apical and basal dendritic branches and total length of apical and basal dendrites after acupuncture. These results suggest that acupuncture improves spatial learning and memory ability of middle-aged SAMP8 mice by ameliorating dendritic structure.Acupuncture can improve the cognitive state of Alzheimer＇s disease, but its mechanism is not clear. Dendritic atrophy and synaptic loss in Alzheimer＇s disease brain are positively correlated with cognitive damage. Therefore, we speculated that the effect of acupuncture on im- proving cognitive function may be associated with reduced dendritic damage in the brain. Acupuncture at Qihai （CV6）, Zhongwan （CV 12）, Danzhong （CV17）, bilateral Zusanli （ST36）, and bilateral Xuehai （SP10） acupoints was performed once a day （1-day rest after 6-day treat- ment） for 14 consecutive days. Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 （SAMP8） mice without acupuncture and senescence-accelerated mouse resistant 1 （SAMR1） mice were used as normal controls. After 14 days of treatment, spatial learning and memory ability of mice was assessed in each group using the Morris water maze. Dendritic changes of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region were analyzed by quantitative Golgi staining. Our results showed that acupuncture shortened escape latency and lengthened retention time of the former platform quadrant in SAMP8 mice. Further, SAMP8 mice exhibited a significant increase in the number of apical and basal dendritic branches and total length of apical and basal dendrites after acupuncture. These results suggest that acupuncture improves spatial learning and memory ability of middle-aged SAMP8 mice by ameliorating dendritic structure.

Electroacupuncture at ST25 inhibits jejunal motility:Role ofsympathetic pathways and TRPV1

AIM: To investigate whether electroacupuncture(EA) at ST25 affects jejunal motility in vivo and if so, whether a sympathetic pathway is involved.METHODS: Jejunal motility was assessed using a manometric balloon placed in the jejunum approximately about 3-5 cm away from the suspensory ligament of the duodenum in anesthetized animals. The effects of EA at ST25 were measured in male Sprague-Dawley rats, some of which were treated with propranolol or clenbuterol(EA intensities: 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 m A), and in male transient receptor potential vanilloid-1(TRPV1)(capsaicin receptor) knockout mice(EA intensities: 1, 2, and 4 m A).RESULTS: Anesthetized rats exhibited three types of fasting jejunal motor patterns(types A, B, and C), and only type C rats responded to EA stimulation. In type C rats, EA at ST25 significantly suppressed the motor activity of the jejunum in an intensity-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of EA was weakened by propranolol(β adrenoceptor antagonist) and disappeared with clenbuterol(β adrenoceptor agonist) induced inhibition of motility, suggesting that the effect of EA on motility is mediated via a sympathetic pathway. Compared with wild-type mice, EA at ST25 was less effective in TRPV1 knockout mice, suggesting that this multi-modal sensor channel participates in the mechanism. CONCLUSION: EA at ST25 was found to inhibit jejunal motility in an intensity-dependent manner, via a mechanism in which sympathetic nerves and TRPV1 receptors play an important role.

Effects of injection of anti-corticotropin release hormone serum in the lateral ventricles and electroacupuncture analgesia on pain threshold in rats with adjuvant arthritis

Rat models of adjuvant arthritis were established, and anti-corticotropin release hormone serum injection in the lateral ventricles and electroacupuncture at right Jiaji （EX-B2） were performed. The pain threshold was decreased at 45 and 60 minutes after injection of the anti-corticotropin release hormone serum. Electroacupuncture at Jiaji can resist this effect. Immunohistochemical staining results showed that the expression of corticotropin release hormone in the hypothalamic paraventdcular nucleus was greater in the electroacupuncture ＋ anti-corticotropin release hormone serum group compared with the anti-corticotropin release hormone serum group. The expression of corticotropin release hormone was correlated with the pain threshold. The effect of endogenous corticotropin release hormone in pain modulation can be obstructed by anti-corticotropin release hormone serum. The analgesia of electroacupuncture can partially resist the depressed pain threshold caused by injection of anti-corticotropin release hormone serum. The analgesic effect of electroacupuncture is associated with the corticotropin release hormone content in the hypothalamus.

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies(WFAS)Clinical Practice Guidelines on Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Female Urinary Incontinence recommendation summaries

Urinary incontinence(UI)is common in women and affects the quality of life in female patients severely.But the clinical consideration and treatment are insufficient.Acupuncture and-moxibustion has been proposed as a potentially effective intervention for female UI.Hence,the World Federation of Acupuncturemoxibustion Societies(WFAS)have initiated a project to develop the clinical practice guideline(CPG)on acupuncture and moxibustion for female UI towards global acupuncture practitioners.The CPG was developed according to the Grades of Recommendation,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)methodology,referring to the principles of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development.During the development of the CPG,the guideline development group(GDG)played an important role,which is composed of multi-national and multi-disciplinary experts.The clinical questions,recommendations and therapeutic protocols were all formulated by GDG using the modified Delphi method and basing on the results of the latest systematic review.This article focuses on the recommendations in the CPG.The CPG contains ten recommendations for ten clinical questions,including nine conditional recommendations for the intervention,one conditional recommendations for either the intervention or the comparison.The CPG also provides one conventional filiform needle therapy protocol,two deep puncturing stimulation on lumbosacral acupoints therapy protocols,and four moxibustion therapy protocols,extracted from the included clinical evidence of this CPG.

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies(WFAS)Clinical Practice Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Allergic Rhinitis recommendation summaries

Clinical Practice Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Allergic Rhinitis was revised and released by the Standards Working Committee of World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies(WFAS)on October 9,2023.This is the first clinical practice guideline(CPG)on acupuncture and moxibustion for allergic rhinitis approved by an international academic organization,which provides evidence-based recommendations and the practical therapeutic protocols for acupuncture practitioners globally.This CPG was developed by following Grades of Recommendation,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)methodology,and the principles of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development.The members in the guideline development group(GDG)were from different countries,with different professions,and they played a critical role in the development of clinical questions,recommendations,and therapeutic protocols.Recommendations are the core of a CPG and the direct answers to clinical questions,due to which this article focuses on the recommendations of this CPG.The recommendations were developed by using the modified Delphi method and the GRADE grid rules,based on the updated systematic reviews of clinical evidence.A total of 15 recommendations for 15 clinical questions were developed in this CPG,including one strong recommendation for intervention based on high-quality evidence,three conditional recommendations for either the intervention or the comparison based on very low quality of evidence,and 11 conditional recommendations for the intervention based on very low quality of evidence.

Cholecystokinin and cholecystokinin-A receptor: An attractive treatment strategy for biliary dyskinesia?

Biliary dyskinesia is a relatively common gastrointestinal disease that is increas-ing in incidence as living standards improve.However,its underlying pathogenesis remains unclear,hindering the development of therapeutic drugs.Recently,“Expression and functional study of cholecystokinin-A receptors on the interstitial Cajal-like cells of the guinea pig common bile duct”demonstrated that cholecystokinin(CCK)regulates the contractile function of the common bile duct through interaction with the CCK-A receptor in interstitial Cajal-like cells,contributing to improving the academic understanding of biliary tract dynamics and providing emerging directions for the pathogenesis and clinical management of biliary dyskinesia.This letter provides a brief overview of the role of CCK and CCK-A receptors in biliary dyskinesia from the perspective of animal experiments and clinical studies,and discusses prospects and challenges for the clinical application of CCK and CCK-A receptors as potential therapeutic targets.

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies(WFAS)Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Cupping

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies(WFAS)Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Cupping,developed under the leadership of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,was approved by WFAS.This technical benchmark was issued on October 9,2023,and implemented on December 31,2023.The main contents include the scope,normative references,terms and definitions,procedures and rules,and safety.This article focuses on the above contents,an outlook on the application,popularization,and update plan of this technical benchmark is proposed.

Gastrointestinal problems in a valproic acid-induced rat model of autism: From maternal intestinal health to offspring intestinal function

BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder(ASD)is a developmental disorder characterized by social deficits and repetitive behavior.Gastrointestinal(GI)problems,such as constipation,diarrhea,and inflammatory bowel disease,commonly occur in patients with ASD.Previously,GI problems of ASD patients were attributed to intestinal inflammation and vertical mother-to-infant microbiome transmission.AIM To explore whether GI problems in ASD are related to maternal intestinal inflam-mation and gut microbiota abnormalities.METHODS An ASD rat model was developed using valproic acid(VPA).Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and fecal 16S rRNA sequencing were used to test GI changes.RESULTS VPA exposure during pregnancy led to pathological maternal intestinal changes,resulting in alterations in maternal gut microbiota.Additionally,the levels of inflammatory factors also increased.Moreover,prenatal exposure to VPA resulted in impaired duodenal motility in the offspring as well as increased levels of infla-mmatory factors.CONCLUSION GI problems in ASD may be associated with maternal intestinal inflammation and microbiota abnormality.Future research is required to find more evidence on the etiology and treatment of GI problems in ASD.

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies(WFAS)Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Moxibustion

Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Moxibustion was organized by the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies and the revision was led by Anhui University of Chinese Medicine.This document was first issued in 2013,known as Moxibustion Manipulation.The technical benchmark of moxibustion include scope,normative reference,terms and definitions,operation and requirement and safety.This article introduces the above contents,explains the difficulties in the revision and give the suggestions for the application and popularization of this standard.

Electroacupuncture targeting the immune system to alleviate sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening inflammatory syndrome with high morbidity and mortality rates.However,options for sepsis are still limited to general treatment in intensive care units(ICUs),and effective therapies that improve sepsis survival are required.Immune disturbances play a vital role in the pathology of sepsis and are associated with protracted inflammation,susceptibility to infections,and death.Therefore,many investigators have focused on the potential benefits of immunomodulation therapy for sepsis.Electroacupuncture(EA)has been practiced in clinics for many years and has shown advantages in treating infectious diseases.Over the last few decades,our understanding of the efficacy and mechanisms of EA in sepsis has undergone considerable developments.We searched the literature regarding“CNKI,Wan Fang Data,VIP Database,PubMed,and Ingenta Connect”from 2010 to 2023,using the keywords“sepsis”“septic”and“electroacupuncture”and 336 sources were searched.Finally,we included 82 studies that targeted the immune system to determine EA’s anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects on sepsis.In this review,we found that EA has clinical benefits in relieving septic inflammation,improving immune function,and attenuating related multi-organ injury through several mechanisms,such as activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway(CAP),vagaladrenal axis,inhibition of the nuclear factor Kappa-B(NF-κB)signaling pathway,signal transducers and activators of transcription(STAT)signaling pathway,and improvement of immune cell function.Therefore,EA may be a promising complementary therapy for sepsis treatment.We also expect these data will contribute to further studies on EA in sepsis.

Full process of recommendation formulation for clinical practice guidelines:Taking World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies Clinical Practice Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Allergic Rhinitis as an example

The formulation of recommendations is a crucial step in the development of clinical practice guidelines,which requires tools provided by the GRADE methodology.These tools include the evidence quality assessment tool,the evidence summary tool,and the evidence-to-decision(EtD)framework.Although there is a methodologically guided standard pathway for formulating recommendations in clinical practice guidelines,it remains unclear how to translate this theoretical pathway into the practical process for formulating recommendations and what the specific steps in this process entail.Therefore,this paper takes the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies Clinical Practice Guidelines on Acupuncture and Moxibustion:Allergic Rhinitis as an example to detail the full process of formulating recommendations and summaries it into a three-step method.Step one:Collect original materials from different sources to create EtD table.Step two:Distribute and collect EtD table,and preliminarily gather the recommendation voting results.Step three:Organize"salami-slicing pattern"guideline development group consensus meeting to formulate recommendations.The three-step method for formulating recommendations in clinical practice guidelines fully utilizes the GRADE EtD table to provide guideline development group with decision-making foundation and reference from multiple dimensions,including the importance of clinical questions,balance of benefits and harms,quality of evidence,resource required,values and preferences,health equity,acceptability,and feasibility.This approach enhances the scientific and practical nature of guideline recommendations.This paper provides a standard operating procedure to formulate recommendations for the incoming clinical practice guidelines,which aims to establish a standard pathway for the formulation of acupuncture clinical practice guideline recommendations.

A New Perspective in the Study of Medical History through Visuals

In pre-modern cultural history,both textual and visual documentation played crucial roles,each possessing its own narrative logic.Historically,text has been a dominant medium for cultural documentation,whereas images,which predate text,have often been undervalued.

EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE ON LEFT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION,MICROCIRCULATION,BLOOD RHEOLOGY AND CYCLICNUCLEOTIDES IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustionof China Academy of TCM in cooperation withBeijing No.4 Hospital in 1981-1982 and BeijingNo.6 Hospital in 1984-1986,using left ventricularfunction,microcirculation,blood rheology andcAMP and cGMP as indexes,observed 91 in-patients with acute myocardial infarction。

RELATION BETWEEN THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF MOXIBUSTION IN TREATING ARTHRALGIA AND SP AND ENKEPHALIN IN NERVOUS TISSUES

Moxibustion can accelerate the relief of arthralgisof rats suffering from adjuvant arthritis.At the sametime,it promotes the recovery of SP in the sciaticnerve,and maintains SP and leu-enkephalin at ahigher level in the lumbar spinal cord.The resultsshow that the therapeutic effect of moxibustion intreating arthralgia bears some relation to activatingthe spinal enkephalin system and modulating thefunction of primary afferent neurons.