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To investigate whether moxibustion regulates tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), and TNFR2 in the intestinal mucosa and to explore whether moxibustion could be used by means of this mechanism, to repair the intestinal epithelium barrier disruption in Crohn’s disease (CD). The CD rat models were established by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBs), randomly divided into a model control (MC) group, an herb-partition moxibustion (HPM) group, a mild-warm moxibustion (MWM) group, and a salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP) group, and all were compared with a normal control (NC) group. The HPM and MWM groups were treated by moxibustion at Tianshu (ST25) and Qihai (RN6) for 14 days, and the SASP group obtained the SASP solution orally for the same period of time. The intestinal epithelium morphology and TNF-α, TNFR1, and TNFR2 contents were observed by the transmission electron microscopy and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The severity of morphological changes in CD intestinal epithelium was obviously improved, and the levels of TNF-α, TNFR1, and TNFR2 in the intestinal mucosa all significantly decreased in the HPM and MWM groups. However, there were no significant differences between the HPM and MWM groups. The moxibustion therapies (HPM and MWM) could reduce intestinal inflammation and restore intestinal epithelium barrier disruption in CD, which might be due to down-regulating TNF-α, TNFR1, and TNFR2 in intestinal mucosa and improving intestinal epithelium morphology.

Objective To reveal the therapeutic effect of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy for the treatment of post-stroke shoulder pain.

Experiments in rats have shown that chronic visceral hyperalgesia can be relieved by electro-acupuncture, but the efficacy of suspended moxibustion for relieving chronic visceral hyperalgesia is still unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of suspended moxibustion on rectal sensory thresholds and to analyze its possible mechanisms when treating chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats. Suspended moxibustion was administered once daily to 37-day-old chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats for 7 days. The two acupoints (ST25, bilateral) were simultaneously given suspended moxibustion. Each treatment lasted for 15 min. Rats in treatment of suspended moxibustion was not anesthetized. Untreated chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats and normal rats were used as controls. The abdominal withdrawal reflex was determined during 30-90 min after the first treatment. A 5-cm long segment of distal colon was harvested after seven treatments and 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations in the colon were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Abdominal withdrawal reflex scores from the rectus abdominis in response to colorectal distention were increased in rats with chronic visceral hypersensitivity, and the stimulation at strength of 20 mmHg was significantly depressed by suspended moxibustion. Suspended moxibustion increased the pain threshold and restored normal sensitivity by reducing 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations in the colon of chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats.

Our previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of partition-herb moxibustion on ulcerative colitis (UC) rats. However, the mechanism of actions of partition-herb moxibustion is still unclear. Most Chinese acupuncturists believe that partition-herb improves the effect of moxibustion therapy. However, this argument lacks confirming experimental and clinical evidence. So, whether partition-herb does play a role in the mechanism of actions of partition-herb moxibustion was reported in this paper. A total of 123 patients were randomly divided into the partition-herb moxibustion group and the control group (partition-bran moxibustion group). Fourteen patients dropped out of the study. Finally, 109 patients finished the intervention. Sixty-one patients with UC received partition-herb moxibustion and 48 patients with UC received partition-bran moxibustion for 72 treatments, one treatment per day, every 12 treatments with an interval of 3 days. The expressions of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the colonic mucosa tissue in mild patients with UC were assayed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Histology of the colon also was observed at entry and after 72 treatments. Clinical therapeutic effect in partition-herb moxibustion was significantly better than those in partition-bran moxibustion (P < 0.05). Protein and mRNA expression of IL-8, ICAM-1 in the patients was inhibited by both partition-herb moxibustion and partition-bran moxibustion, of those the inhibition in the partition-herb moxibustion group was more obvious (P < 0.01). Partition-herb moxibustion was shown to significantly improve the histology of the colon, and partition-herb was shown to improve the therapeutic effect of moxibustion on treatment of UC patients.

@@ Acupuncture anesthesia is a great breakthrough in the development history of acupuncture science in China. It has promoted the development of acupuncture science, promoted the study on acupuncture from multiple subjects of modem natural sciences and has become an important component part in the studies of modem life science[1].

The efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) for treating patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS has been confirmed in the authors' former research, but the regulatory mechanism of EA in IBS is still unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the effect of EA on treating IBS rats and the activation and proliferation of mast cell (MC), the secretion of substance P(SP), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). The IBS rat model was set up with stress of binding limbs and colorectal distention. All rats were randomly assigned to four groups (Normal, Model, Tegaserod and EA). Hematoxylin and eosin staining has been used to observe the pathological change in the rats' colonic mucosa and an AWR scoring system has been applied to evaluate improvement of visceral hypersensitivity in various methods of the different groups. Toluidine blue improved method (TBI) and immunohistochemistry have also been involved in observations of mucous mast cells in the colon, change of c-fos positive cells, and secretion of SP, SPR, VIP, VIPR in the local colon. Firstly, the threshold of visceral sensitivity in the rats model with IBS was remarkably reduced (P < 0.01). The MC count in colonic mucosa and c-fos positive cells count increased significantly (P < 0.01) with positive correlation within each. Secondly, EA on ST-25 and Tegaserod pouring into the stomach can inhibit the proliferation and activation of MC in the colon and regulate secretion of SP, SPR, VIP, VIPR (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while the effect of EA is obviously superior to Tegaserod. We concluded, firstly, that the abnormal proliferation and activation of mucous mast cells in the colon, and oversecretion of neuropeptides such as SP, VIP and their receptors could be one of key mechanisms of etiology of IBS. Secondly, the inhibition of activation and proliferation and the secretion of SP, VIP could be major effects of EA when treating rats with IBS.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of suspended moxibustion (SM) on rectal sensory thresholds and to analyze the possible mechanisms involved in SM treatment of chronic visceral hypersensitivity (CVH) in rats. METHODS: SM was administered once daily to 37-d-old CVH rats for 7 d. The two pairs of acupoints (ST25 and ST37, bilateral) were simultaneously treated with SM. Each treatment lasted for 30 min. Rats undergoing treatment with SM were not anesthetized. Untreated CVH rats and normal rats were used as controls. The abdominal withdrawal reflex was determined 30-90 min after the seven treatments. The hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA level was measured using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: We found that SM treatment significantly decreased visceral sensitivity to colorectal distention in this rat model. In treated animals, SM also decreased the relative hypothalamic CRH mRNA expression level to control levels. CONCLUSION: Lower hypothalamic CRH levels may mediate the beneficial effects of SM in this rat irritable bowel syndrome model.

A rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC) was established using an immunological method involving local stimulation. After the UC rat model was established, HPM was administered to the UC rats (n = 8) for seven days. UC rats without HPM (n = 8) and normal rats (n = 8) were used as the controls. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to visualize the pathological changes in the rats' colonic mucosa. The expression of Stat3 and Stat4 mRNAs in the colonic mucosa was detected with real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. HPM ameliorated colonic mucosal damage in the UC model rats. HPM downregulated the expression of Stat4 mRNA in the colons of UC rats. HPM had no effect on the expression of Stat3 mRNA. HPM ameliorates the colonic mucosal damage in the UC rat model. Stat4 signaling is involved in the mechanism of HPM action.

Despite widely used in today's clinical practice, recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses most often report that trials of acupuncture efficacy are equivocal or contradictory. Besides the low quality of trials and publication bias, the differences in education and training of acupuncture providers between East Asia and North America and Europe are often ignored, which may play a role in the results of randomized controlled trials; this can lead to further problems with subsequent systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Since acupuncture originated in China and is widespread throughout Asia, the exchange and cooperation of methodology and qualified professional acupuncture programs between Asia and North America and Europe might be directions for future research on acupuncture. A relative standard education and training of acupuncture should be established.

Previous studies into electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have principally focused on the peripheral effects of EA in a rat model of IBS. It is not known whether EA exerts central effects in this rat model. We have examined the effects of EA on hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) levels in a rat model of IBS provoked by colorectal distension (CRD) and forelimb immobilization. EA was administered once daily to IBS model rats over a period of 7 d; untreated IBS rats and controls were also studied. The behavioral response to distension was rated according to the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) score; hypothalamic CRH levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. We report that EA treatment significantly decreased visceral sensitivity to CRD in this rat model. In treated animals, EA also decreased hypothalamic CRH to control levels. Reduced hypothalamic CRH levels may mediate the beneficial effects of EA in this rat IBS model.

Previous studies demonstrated the efficacy of electro-acupuncture (EA) in relieving chronic visceral hypersensitivity (CVH) in IBS rats. However, ST25 which is a key acupoint for patients with IBS has not been reported in these experiments. Eight CVH rats were treated by EA at both ST25 and ST37 for 20 min, once daily for seven consecutive days, model rats (n = 8) and normal rats (n = 8) as controls. After the first EA treatment, the abdominal withdrawal reflex scores were investigated to evaluate the pain threshold. After seven EA treatments, the concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R) and 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) in colon tissue were assayed quantitatively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that EA improved the pain threshold of CVH rats, reduced the 5-HT concentration and increased the 5-HT4R concentration, but had no effect on the 5-HT3R concentration. Further studies are needed to optimize the choice of two-matching points for EA in the treatment of CVH rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of herb-partition moxibustion on rectal sensory thresholds and to analyse possible mechanism of herb-partition moxibustion in treating chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats.Herb-partition moxibustion was administered to chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats for 7 days (once daily). Two moxa cylinders were used for each point in one treatment. Chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats without herb-partition moxibustion and normal rats were chosen as the control groups. Detection of abdominal withdrawal reflex was performed during 30-90 minutes after the first treatment. After seven treatments, a segment of distal colon (5 cm in length) was harvested, and 5-hydroxytryptamine concentration in the colon tissue was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Herb-partition moxibustion significantly depressed abnormally increased AWR scores from the rectus abdominis in response to colorectal distention stimulation at strengths of 40 and 60 mmHg. Herb-partition moxibustion decreased 5-hydroxytryptamine concentration in colon tissue of chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats.Herb-partition moxibustion enhances the pain threshold of chronic visceral hypersensitivity rats and restores normal sensitivity by 5-hydroxytryptamine concentration decreased in the colon tissue. However, whether herb-partition moxibustion could enhance the pain threshold of IBS patients or not is not concluded in this study because of only small sample rats experiment.

The scholars at home and abroad pay great attention to the studies of specificities of acupoints, but the studies were superficial and non-systemic because of lacking to application of modern sciences and technology. There are not persuasive conclusive achievements for the specificities of acupoints and the key factors influencing the effect of acupuncture. The study of the specificities of acupoints should be concentrate on the diseases for which acupuncture and moxibustion are effective. And multiple modern sciences and techniques should be adopted to resolve the key problems about biological and physical characteristics, pathological response, effects and law of compatibility of acupoints usually selected for the diseases, and then to create the model of the theory about the specificities of acupoints and to richen and develop the theory of the specificity of acupoints.

To understand clinical application of syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians in acupuncture and moxibustion.Collect and collate the literature about syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians in Chinese AcupunctureMoxibustion, Acupuncture Research, Shanghai Journal of AcupunctureMoxibustion (Clinic edition B in 2003) and Clinical Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion from 2001 to 2003.Less literature about syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians are involved, only accounting for 5.69% (163/2 864); and the literature about both treatment based on meridians and treatment based on syndrome differentiation of meridians only accounted for 1.22% (35/2 864).At present, clinically acupuncture and moxibustion do not play attention to treatment based on syndrome differentiation of meridians.