A REPORT ON THE TREATMENT OF STEROID RESISTANT ASTHMA WITH ACUPUNCTURE-MOXIBUSTION AND ACUPOINT INJECTION

In the present paper, the authors report their results of treatment of 5 cases of steriod resistant asthma with acupoint-injection, body acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping. Bilateral Zusanli (ST 36) are used for acupoint injection of mixture solution of placenta tissue injectio (2 mL), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinesis) injectio (2 mL) and Huangqi (Radix Astragli seu Hedysari) injectio (4 mL), with 4 mL for each acupoint. Acupoints used for puncturing are bilateral Yuji (LU 10), Dingchuan (EX-B 1), Feishu (BL 13), Fengmen (BL 12), Gaohuangshu (BL 43), Taiyuan (LU 9), Fenglong (ST 40), Shenshu (BL 23), Zusanli (ST 36), etc.. Dazhui (GV 14), Tanzhong (CV 17), and Zhongwan (CV 12) are moxibustioned after insertion of acupuncture needles and achieving needling sensations. Cupping is applied to bilateral Dingchuan (EX-B 1) after removing acupuncture needles with a little blood out. Following 3 days’ treatment, these 5 asthma patients who have no apparent response to conventional medication treatment are relieved strikingly in the attack frequency, till the 7th day of the treatment, they have no any asthmatic onset again. One month’s follow-up shows no recurrence. Results indicate that acupuncture with moxibustion and cupping is fairly effective in relieving steriod resistant asthma patients who have no effect in responding to glucocorticoid treatment.

Effect of Astragalus Injection on Levels of Blood Selenium and Immunity Function in Children with Viral Myocarditis

Objective: To observe the effect of Astragalus Injection (AD on levels of blood selenium (Se) and cytokines, and T cellular immune function with viral myocarditis (VM) in children. Methods: Eighty children with VM were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group consisted of 38 patients, to whom conventional therapy, including energy mixture, vitamin C and coenzyme Q10, etc. were given. The treated group (n = 42), to whom combination therapy of conventional therapy and Al were given. The levels of blood Se and cytokine, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and also evaluation of T lymphocyte subsets and cardiac function were observed. Results: The results showed that after treatment, the levels of blood Se were significantly higher (P<0.01), while IL-1,IL-6 and TNF-a were significantly lower (P<0.01) than those before treatment in the control group. The left ventricular end diameter (LVED) were significantly decreased (P<0.01), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) were significantly increased than those before treatment in the treated group(P<0.01, P<0.05). T lymphocyte subsets got normalized (P<0.01), and compared with the control group, the difference was significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: Astragalus membranaceus possesses anti-viral effect, adjusts the balance of cytokine and T cellular immunity, and improves the clinical manifestation and cardiac function. It is an effective approach in treating viral myocarditis.

Serum adiponectin concentrations in patients with essential hypertension

To explore the serum levels of adiponectin in patients with essential hypertension and the relationbetween adiponectin and blood pressure. Methods: Forty-five cases with essential hypertension and 43 healthy control sub-jects have been taken fasting blood samples for measurements of plasma glucose, plasma lipids, insulin, C-peptide, thyroidhormones, TNF-α, leptin and adiponectin. Glucose tolerance was assessed by 75-g oral glucose tolerance est. Results: Theconcentrations of adiponectin in cases with essential hypertension were significantly lower than those in the control group(4.15 ± 1.99 vs 7.04 ± 3.13 mg/ml, P = 0.000). Pearson relation analysis showed that serum adiponectin concentrationswere negatively and significantly correlated with body-mass index ( r = - 0. 274, P = 0. 038 ), total cholesterol(r = -0.257, P = 0.048)in control groups, while adiponectin concentrations were negatively and significantly correlatedwith systolic blood pressure ( r = - 0.356, P = 0.016), triglyceride ( r = - 0.367, P = 0.013), tumor necrosis factor-al-pha ( r = - 0. 298, P = 0.047) and triiodothyronine ( r = - 0.317, P = 0. 034) in essential hypertension group. Multipleregression analysis showed that body-mass index was the independent factor to adiponectin levels, and SBP and TNF-α wereadiponectin independent factors in the essential hypertension group. Conclusion: The serum adiponectin concentrations aresignificant lower in patients with essential hypertension, and there is negative and significantly correlation between adiponec-tin and blood pressure.