Prof.Ren ZHANG’s experience in acupuncture for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

Prof.Ren ZHANG’s experience in clinical treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders(NMOSD)is summarized in this paper.The pathogenesis of this kind of disease is complicated.Prof.Ren ZHANG treats it in both symptoms and root cause.In the acute stage and remission stage,based on the standard application of western medicines,acupuncture should be applied as early as possible and continued.In the acute stage,acupuncture can be an alternative and complementary treatment to reduce the adverse reaction of high dose hormone and shorten the acute course of this disease.In the remission stage,acupuncture can not only improve the visual function of patients,but also helps to retard the deterioration of this disease,reduce the recurrence and disability degree,having a long-term effect.The specific treatment method of Prof.Ren ZHANG emphasizes a combination of acupuncture and acupoint injection,with the extraordinary points as the main acupoints and coordinate with meridian acupoints in application.In the manipulation,it is emphasized deep insertion,penetrating method,and needling sensation to the diseased location.For the treatment course,it is emphasized that early intervention and long-term regular treatment.Here is the summarization of Prof.Ren ZHANG’s experience in treating this disease,which can be the reference for clinicians.

Case Collection of Acupuncture Treatment for the Refractory Eye Diseases by Professor Zhang Ren

Zhang Ren, a master of medicine, professor, chief physician, and State Council expert for Special Allowances. He is the current vice president of Chinese Acupuncture Society, the honorary chairman of Shanghai Acupuncture Society, a member of Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Assessment Committee. He used to be the director of Shanghai Municipal Literature Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the director of the Shanghai Information Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He has been engaged in acupuncture clinical and literature research for more than 40 years. He has been to Europe to give lectures and treat patients in clinic for 3 times, and received a favorable evaluation. And he has independently written and edited more than 60 books on acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine as a chief editor （including English and Japanese versions）, which were published in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Taipei and Tokyo. He has published nearly 100 papers in both English and Chinese. He has also chaired Shanghai Municipal Public Health Bureau research projects, and participated in a number of projects such as Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission project, the National 973 project. He has accumulated a wealth of clinical experience on acupuncture treamlent tor multiple modem intractable diseases, especially has unique experience on the acupuncture treammnt for stubborn eye diseases.

Experimental study on the effect of An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30) on certain brain nuclei of pleasure circuits in rats with chronic neuralgia

Objective:To explore the central neurobiological mechanisms of pleasure effect on rats with neuralgia treated by tuina manipulations of An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30).Methods:A total of 64 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used in this study.Eighteen rats were randomly selected as a normal group,and the other 46 rats were used to duplicate the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model.Ten rats failed in modeling and 36 rats succeeded.These 36 rats were then randomly divided into a model group and a tuina group,with 18 rats in each group.The rats in the normal group and the model group did not receive any interventions,while those in the tuina group received An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30),1 min for each time,once a day,3 weeks in total.Heating tests were evaluated to observe the change of pain-sensitivity score before intervention,1 week after intervention,2 weeks after intervention,and 3 weeks after intervention.After 1 week of intervention,2 weeks of intervention,and 3 weeks of intervention,6 rats were randomly selected from each group respectively for brain extraction.The change of Nissl's body and β-endorphin in the accumbens nucleus as well as amygdaloid nucleus of pleasure circuits,and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the arcuate nucleus were analyzed by methods of histochemistry and molecular biology.Results:After modeling,the pain-sensitivity scores of the tuina group and the model group were statistically different from the score of the normal group (both P<0.05).After An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30) for one week,the pain-sensitivity score of the tuina group had statistical difference compared with that of the model group (P<0.05).At each different time point:the amounts of Nissl's body in accumbens nucleus and amygdaloid nucleus of the tuina group were significantly more than those of the model group (all P<0.01).Besides,the numbers of β-endorphin immunoreactive cells in the accumbens nucleus and amygdaloid nucleus of the rats in the tuina group were significantly higher than those in the model group (all P<0.01),and so was the expression of POMC in arcuate nucleus (all P<0.01).Conclusion:An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30),where the sciatic nerve is ligated,can reduce pain-sensitivity score and increase pain tolerance value of rats with chronic neuralgia.It can increase the activity of neurons in accumbens nucleus and amygdaloid nucleus of pleasure circuits,which indicates that the analgesia effect of tuina therapy may correlate with pleasure effect,and also reveals a part of neurobiological mechanisms of neuralgia.

Clinical Study on Point-toward-Point Needling for Asthenopia

Objective:To observe the effect of point-toward-point needling on asthenopia.Methods:A total of 60 asthenopia cases were randomized into an observation group and a control group,30 cases in each group.Pointtoward-point needling was used in the observation group;whereas point injection was used in the control group.The signs and symptoms including visual tasks and eye fatigue were observed before and after treatments.This was followed by an inter-group comparison of eye discomfort symptom score and therapeutic effects.Results:After treatment,the symptoms and signs in both groups were significantly improved,showing a statistical significance(P<0.01)and inter-group difference(P<0.01).The total effective rate of the observation group was 96.7%,versus 69.0%in the control group,showing a statistical difference(P<0.01).Conclusion:Both treatment protocols can help alleviate the clinical symptoms of asthenopia;point-toward-point needling can obtain better effect than point injection.