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To observe the clinical efficacy of Zhen’ai needling method in Nei Jing (Classic of Internal Medicine) for children with allergic rhinitis (AR) accompanied by adenoid hypertrophy (AH). A total of 74 children who met the screening criteria were divided into a Zhen’ai group and a control group by the random number table method, with 37 cases in each group. The control group was treated with acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Yingxiang (LI 20), Juliao (ST 3), Yintang (GV 29), Shangxing (GV 23) and Baihui (GV 20). The Zhen’ai group added points of Zhen’ai needling method {Shanglianquan [Extra, located at 1 cun above Lianquan (CV 23)], Tianrong (SI 17) and Lieque (LU 7)} in addition to the points in the control group. The needles were retained for 30 min. The treatment was performed twice a week. The total nasal symptom score (TNSS), sino-nasal outcome test-20 (SNOT-20) and symptom scale for AH (SSAH) were assessed before and after 10 treatments. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared after treatment. During the treatment, 5 cases dropped out in the control group and 2 cases in the Zhen’ai group. After treatment, the total effective rate of the Zhen’ai group was 94.3%, versus 93.8% in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The markedly effective rate of the Zhen’ai group was 42.9%, versus 12.5% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P

By observing the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the apoptosis of conjunctival cells of rabbits with dry eye syndrome (DES) and the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3, Fas and Bcl-2, to discuss the mechanism of EA in the treatment of DES from the perspective of cell apoptosis. Male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group (NG), a model group (MG), an EA group (EAG) and a sham EA group (SEAG). DES rabbit model was developed by eye drop of 0.1% benzalkonium chloride. The rabbit tear secretion and tear film break-up time (BUT) were measured; terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to detect the apoptosis of conjunctival cells; the expressions of Caspase-3, Fas and Bcl-2 proteins in conjunctival cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. Compared with the NG, the rabbit tear secretion decreased and the BUT was shortened in the MG (both P

To observe the effect of Zhen’ai needling method in Nei Jing (Classic of Internal Medicine) on quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). A total of 99 patients with AR who met the inclusion criteria were randomized into a conventional needling group (51 cases) and a Zhen’ai needling group (48 cases). The conventional needling group was treated with acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Juliao (ST 3), Yingxiang (LI 20), Yintang (GV 29), Shangxing (GV 23) and Baihui (GV 20). The Zhen’ai needling group added acupoints of Zhen’ai needling method {Lieque (LU 7), Shanglianquan [Extra, located at 1 cun above Lianquan (CV 23)] and Tianrong (SI 17)} in addition to points in the conventional needling group. The needles were retained for 30 min. The treatment was performed twice a week. All patients were assessed by total nasal symptom score (TNSS), total ocular symptom score (TOSS) and sino-nasal outcome test-20 (SNOT-20) before and after 15 treatments to evaluate the quality of life. The clinical efficacy was evaluated after 15 treatments. During the treatment, 8 cases dropped out in the conventional needling group and 7 cases in the Zhen’ai needling group. There were no significant differences in TNSS, TOSS and SNOT-20 scores between the two groups before treatment (all P>0.05). After treatment, the total effective rate of the Zhen’ai needling group was 92.7%, versus 88.4% in the conventional needling group. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, there were no significant differences between the two groups in TNSS and TOSS scores (both P>0.05). The SNOT-20 score of the Zhen’ai needling group was lower than that of the conventional needling group, and the difference was statistically significant (P

To observe the effect of moxibustion on the protein and mRNA expressions of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) in hypothalamus of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced experimental colitis rats, and to explore the central mechanisms of moxibustion in improving visceral pain and the pain-related emotions in experimental colitis rats. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a normal group (NG), a model group (MG), a herb-partitioned moxibustion group (HPMG) and a sham herb-partitioned moxibustion group (SHPMG). Except the NG, rats in the remaining three groups all received TNBS enema to establish experimental colitis models. The HPMG received herb-partitioned moxibustion (HPM) at bilateral Tianshu (ST 25) and Qihai (CV 6) for intervention; for the SHPMG, the herbal cakes and moxa cones were only placed on the acupoints but not ignited; rats in the MG and NG were only fixed in the same way as those in the HPMG but did not receive any treatment. At the end of the intervention, the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) score, the open field test (OFT) score and the elevated plus maze (EPM) score were observed to measure the changes in visceral pain and pain-related emotions of the rats. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to examine the expressions of CRF and CRFR1 proteins in hypothalamus; the fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expressions of CRF and CRFR1 mRNAs in hypothalamus. Compared with the NG, the AWR score increased significantly and the OFT and EPM scores dropped significantly in the MG (all P 0.05). HPM can down-regulate the abnormally increased expressions of CRF and CRFR1 proteins and mRNAs in hypothalamus of the TNBS-induced experimental colitis rats, which is plausibly one of its action mechanisms in mitigating visceral pain and the pain-related emotions in the experimental colitis rats.

To analyze and review the clinical efficacy of acupuncture (including electroacupuncture) alone for allergic rhinitis (AR) and to compare its efficacy with antihistamines and Chinese patent medicine Bi Yan Kang Tablet. The search strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria were made according to the principle of evidence-based medicine. We performed a systematic search on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis between January 1990 and December 2015. The quality was evaluated by Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1, and the meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.3 version. Twenty eligible RCTs were included into the meta-analysis after selection. Compared with antihistamines, the meta-analysis showed RR=1.24>1, 95%CI[1.15, 1.33], P 0, 95%CI[–10.84, 13.75], P = 0.82, indicating that there was no statistical difference between acupuncture and antihistamines in regulating immunoglobulin E (IgE) in AR patients. Compared with Bi Yan Kang Tablet, the meta-analysis has shown RR = 1.50>1, 95%CI[1.30, 1.73], P

Ovulatory dysfunction refers to absent ovulation or luteal insufficiency. It is commonly seen in women with irregular menstruation or menstrual cycles, especially in those with oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea. Ovulatory dysfunction is considered the single-most frequent cause of female infertility. Clinically, the two major causes of ovulatory dysfunction are polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome (LUFS). Acupuncture-moxibustion improves ovulation and helps with infertility. Through a systematic review and analysis on relevant literatures in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture-moxibustion Databank over the last decade, this paper summarized the characteristics and pattern of acupuncture-moxibustion points for improving ovulation in order to provide an optimal acupuncture-moxibustion protocol in this regard.

To observe the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) on histomorphologies of lacrimal glands, cornea and conjunctiva in experimental dry eye syndrome, and to explore the repair effects of EA on lacrimal glands and ocular surface damage. Twenty-four healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an EA group and a medication group, 6 rabbits in each group. Experimental dry eye syndrome models were prepared in rabbits by using 0.1% benzalkonium chloride for eye drops. Tear secretion volume, break-up time of tear film (BUT) and corneal fluorescein staining score were observed before and after the treatment. Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining method was used to observe the changes of conjunctival goblet cells in rabbits. After hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, morphological changes of rabbit cornea, conjunctiva and lacrimal gland tissues were observed under light microscope. Compared with the normal group, tear secretion volume and BUT were significantly reduced (both P

To learn the current research status of acupuncture-moxibustion in treating chronic urticaria, the relevant clinical reports indexed by CNKI and VIP databases during 2000 and 2012 were retrieved, and then summarized and analyzed from the aspects of treatment method, acupoint selection, medicine, treatment frequency, and criteria of therapeutic efficacy, for guiding the treatment of chronic urticaria with acupuncture-moxibustion. The results show that acupuncture-moxibustion therapy has stable therapeutic efficacy in treating chronic urticaria with low adverse reaction rate, but the current evaluation criteria are too subjective to quantify.

Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a commonly encountered ophthalmological disease, with a relatively high incidence, and expects an effective treatment method. Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy promotes tear production of lacrimal gland without causing a trauma, and thus has a great advantage in treating DES. Through literature analysis, this article summarized the research progress in both clinical practice and mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion in treating DES during the recent 10 years, for providing valuable references for the application of acupuncture-moxibustion for DES.

To organize the researches on the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the reports of moxibustion for IBD in recent years, for summarizing the current status of the pathogenesis study on IBD and the mechanism research on moxibustion for IBD, and giving suggestion to the further study on the action of moxibustion in managing this disease.

Objective To observe the impact of herb-partitioned moxibustion and electroacupuncture on hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen III (PC III) and collagen IV (C IV) of intestinal fibrosis in rats with Crohn’s disease (CD), and discuss the effect and the mechanism of acupuncture on treating intestinal fibrosis of rats.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and cupping on the back in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Objective To explore the rule of acupoints for treating nasal conditions in acupuncture verses.