Effect of moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) on immune system in rats with different degrees of exhaustive exercise

Abstract

To investigate the effect of moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) on the immune system in rats with different levels of exhaustive exercise. Fifty-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group (n=8), an exhaustive group (n=24), and a moxibustion group (n=24). The exhaustive group was randomly divided into a 1-time exhaustive group, a 4-time exhaustive group and a 7-time exhaustive group, with 8 rats in each group. According to the treatment time, the moxibustion group was randomly divided into a 1-time moxibustion group, a 4-time moxibustion group and a 7-time moxibustion group, with 8 rats in each group. Rats in the exhaustive groups and the moxibustion groups were subjected to replicating the exhaustive swimming models. Rats in each moxibustion group received mild moxibustion for 15 min immediately after the exhaustive modeling, once every other day. Twenty-four hours after the corresponding exhaustive exercise, the rats in each group were tested for the levels of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, IgM and acid phosphatase (ACP), and the morphological changes of spleen tissues were observed. The level of IgA was detected by immunoturbidimetric assay, and the levels of IgG, IgM and ACP were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with the 1-time exhaustive group, swimming time of rats in the 4-time exhaustive group was significantly prolonged (P<0.01), and swimming time of rats in the 7-time exhaustive group was significantly shortened (P<0.01). Compared with the 7-time exhaustive group, exhaustive swimming time of rats in the 7-time moxibustion group was significantly prolonged (P<0.01). Compared with the blank group, the IgG level in the 1-time exhaustive group was significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM in the 4-time exhaustive group and the 7-time exhaustive group were all significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the ACP level was increased significantly (both P<0.01). Microscopically, the number of splenic corpuscles in the 1-time exhaustive group was reduced; the center of some splenic corpuscles in the 4-time exhaustive group was damaged; the number of splenic corpuscles in the 7-time exhaustive group was reduced, and there was no obvious germinal center. Compared with the 4-time exhaustive group, the IgA level in the 4-time moxibustion group was significantly increased (P<0.01), and the ACP level was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the 7-time exhaustive group, the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM in the 7-time moxibustion group were significantly increased (all P<0.01), and the ACP level was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Microscopically, the number of splenic corpuscles in the 1-time moxibustion group was reduced; the center of some splenic corpuscles in the 4-time moxibustion group was damaged together with hyperplasia of some splenic corpuscles; blast cells were proliferated in the center of some splenic corpuscles in the 7-time moxibustion group. Moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) can improve the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM, reduce the ACP level, repair damaged spleen tissues, and enhance the immunity of the body to some extent in the long-term fatigue rats.