Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy Research Articles

The efficacy and safety of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for depression: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Depression is a common public health problem, characterized by persistent low mood, lack of pleasure and exhaustion. Conventional treatments such as antidepressants and psychotherapy have some limitations, including variable efficacy, adverse side effects and high costs. Acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) therapy, as a subtype of acupuncture, has gained increasing clinical application due to its long-term effects, higher patient compliance, and cost-effectiveness. This study aims to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ACE for depression. Electronic searches will be conducted in 12 databases (both in English and Chinese databases), encompassing from inception to April 2022, without language restrictions. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that involve ACE for treating depression will be included. The primary outcome measures will include the response rate, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Traditional Chinese Medicine Symptom Scale (TCMSSS). The secondary outcome measure will include Quality of Life scale score (QoL) and the incidence of adverse events. Results will be presented as risk ratios for dichotomous data and mean differences for continuous data. Two reviewers will independently conduct study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. The methodological quality of eligible studies will be evaluated according to the criteria specified by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (Version 5.1.0). Meta-analysis will be performed by RevMan 5.3 software. Due to the limitations, a safer, high-efficacy and non-pharmacological intervention with minimal side effects is required for treating depression. ACE has the advantages of longer-lasting effects, improved patient compliance, and reduced treatment costs. This protocol represents a meta-analysis and systematic review, aiming to present the current evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of ACE for depression. It seeks to provide clinicians with a theoretical basis and valuable references for complementary and alternative medicine therapies in their treatment approaches. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, Identifier CRD42022325966.

Acupoint catgut-embedding therapy ameliorates DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis in BALB/c mice by regulating Th2 type immune response and reducing infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ cells

Acupoint catgut-embedding therapy ameliorates DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis in BALB/c mice by regulating Th2 type immune response and reducing infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ cells

Brain-Imaging Mechanisms on Female Abdominal Obesity Treated by "Shu-Mu" Acupoint Catgut Embedding and Compatibility Relation: Study Protocol for a 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial.

Acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) has been proven to be effective and safe in the treatment of obesity, but few studies have been conducted involving its central mechanisms. Our previous study has demonstrated the effectiveness of Shu-Mu ACE in the treatment of abdominal obesity (AO). However, the neurological mechanism of Shu-Mu ACE for weight loss has not yet been elucidated. The mechanism of the combination of the Shu and Mu acupoints may be related to the central integrative effects of the brain. This paper aims to explore the potential neural mechanisms of Shu-Mu ACE in female patients with AO. A total of 100 eligible female AO patients and 20 healthy female subjects will be recruited for this study. 100 AO patients will be randomly allocated to five groups: Shu-Mu ACE (Group A), Shu ACE (Group B), Mu ACE (Group C), sham ACE (Group D), and waiting-list (Group E). Treatment will be administrated once every two weeks for 12 weeks. The body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), Visual Analog Scales (VAS) of appetite, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) will be utilized to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at each time point of treatment. Multimodal MRI will be performed at baseline and after 12-week treatment and the results will be used to investigate the neural mechanisms of ACE for obesity. Neurological changes and clinical data will be analysed for correlation. This study hypothesized that Shu-Mu ACE therapy has a synergistic effect and may treat AO by modulating the neuropathological alterations in the brain. Our findings will demonstrate the neurological mechanism of AO treated by "Shu-Mu" Acupoint Catgut Embedding and compatibility relation. This trial is registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registration Center (No. ChiCTR2100048920).

Research progress and prospect of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Research progress and prospect of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Application of Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy Combined with Liuzijue Breathing Exercise in the Treatment of Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objective To evaluate the application value of acupoint catgut embedding therapy combined with Liuzijue breathing exercise in the treatment of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its impact on immune function and quality of life. Methods A total of 100 patients with stable COPD admitted to our hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were included and assigned to the experimental group (n = 50) and the control group (n = 50) according to the order of admission. Both groups of patients received conventional treatment. The control group was given daily inhalation of budesonide and formoterol fumarate powder for inhalation (320 ug/bottle), and the experimental group received additional acupoint catgut embedding therapy combined with Liuzijue breathing exercise. The clinical efficacy, pulmonary function indexes, activities of daily living (ADL) scores, quality of life (QOL) scores, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, the number of acute exacerbations, medical expenses, the incidence of adverse reactions, and immune indicators were compared between the two groups of patients. Results The experimental group yielded a significantly higher effective rate of treatment than the control group (P < 0.05). After the treatment, the experimental group obtained a superior outcome in terms of lung function indexes, immune function indexes, ADL and QOL scores, and the TCM syndrome scores when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The number of acute exacerbations in the experimental group was remarkably lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). No serious adverse reactions were observed in the two groups of patients, and no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions was found (P > 0.05). Conclusion Acupoint catgut embedding therapy combined with Liuzijue breathing exercise, with high safety, can improve the treatment effect and the quality of life of patients with stable COPD, which merits clinical promotion.

Three Acupuncture Methods for Postoperative Pain in Mixed Hemorrhoids: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background Mixed hemorrhoids are a common anorectal disorder, surgery is the most effective means of eradicating hemorrhoids, and pain is the most common postoperative complication of mixed hemorrhoids. Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of auricular plaster, acupoint application, and acupoint catgut embedding for treating postoperative pain in mixed hemorrhoids. Method PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of three acupuncture-related therapies for postoperative pain in mixed hemorrhoids from the time of database creation to October 2021. After screening the literature, extracting information, and evaluating the risk of bias of included studies, statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0. Result Forty-seven RCTs with a total of 5121 patients were included. Network meta-analysis (NMA) showed that auricular plaster (OR = 5.90, 95% CI = (2.02, 17.21)) and acupoint catgut embedding therapy (OR = 5.55, 95% CI = (1.01, 30.40)) were more effective than analgesics in the treatment of postoperative pain in mixed hemorrhoids. The cumulative ranking probability (SUCRA) showed that acupoint application (73.6%) had the best overall efficacy and the rest were auricular plaster (68.7%), acupoint catgut embedding therapy (64.6%), auricular plaster combined with acupoint application (63.4%), and pain medication (8.9%) in that order. Secondly, auricular plaster (OR = −0.93, 95% CI = (−1.66, −0.20)), acupoint catgut embedding (OR = −0.8, 95% CI = (−1.50, −0.10)), and acupoint application (OR = −1.4, 95% CI = (−2.50, −0.31)) all led to a significant decrease in pain scores and were all more effective than analgesics. As ranked by SUCRA, the results showed that the efficacy of acupoint application (73.5%) was optimal and the rest were auricular plaster (56.1%), acupoint catgut embedding (50.2%), and pain medication (15.3%) in that order. In terms of pain degree, acupoint application (OR = 3.83, 95% CI = (1.25, 11.74)) was significantly better than pain medication. Conclusion Acupoint application can improve the overall efficiency, reduce pain scores, and relieve the degree of postoperative pain in mixed hemorrhoids.

Bibliometric analysis on key elements of clinical application of acupoint catgut embedding therapy in recent ten years

To analyze the characteristics of acupoint catgut embedding methods, tools, catgut types, and the treatment cycles in the clinical research in recent ten years both at home and abroad, so as to summarize its regularities and to provide technical references for further studies. Articles about clinical researches on catgut embedding therapy published in recent ten years (from January 1, 2010 to December 31,2020) were retrieved from the databases of CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and PubMed by using key words of "acupoint embedding" "acupoint catgut embedding" and "catgut implantation at acupoint". According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a new database was established for analyzing the data mentioned above. 1) A total of 1 196 articles were collected, including 15 English articles and 1 181 Chinese articles, presenting a fluctuating increasing trend in recent ten years. 2) The commonly used acupoint embedding methods included disposable catgut embedment needle method (399 times, 38.89%) and disposable syringe needle catgut embedding method (347 times, 33.82%), for which two or multiple methods were mentioned in the same one article. 3) The most frequently used top two tools for catgut embedding were the dispo-sable catgut embedment needle (463 times, 43.03%) and disposable syringe needle (406 times,37.73%), with a significant increase in the application of disposable syringe needle. The most commonly used size of tools included No. 7 (283 times, 39.86%), No. 9 (196 times, 27.61%) and No. 8 (109 times, 15.35%). 4) The most frequently implanted surgical suture was still the common catgut (671 times, 58.15%) despite of a reduction in clinical application year by year, and the types of the implanted suture materials were gradually enriched since 2018, such as the absorbable surgical suture, polyethylprolactide(PGLA), collagen protein thread, polydioxanone(PPDO), etc. The commonly used implanted catgut size was 3-0 (227 times, 30.15%), 2-0 (176 times, 23.37%), 4-0 (131 times, 17.40%), 0 (103 times, 13.68%), with the commonly used catgut length being 1 cm (332 times, 35.55%), 1.5 cm (103 times, 11.03%), 1-2 cm (92 times, 9.85%) and 2 cm (92 times, 9.85%). 5) The intervals of the catgut implantation were 7 days (313 times, 28.95%), 14 days (262 times, 24.24%), 10 days (174 times, 16.10%), and 15 days (162 times, 14.99%). In recent ten years, clinical research on acupoint catgut embedding is growing rapidly, and the embedding methods, tools, implanted sutures, and embedding intervals are various, which may provide certain technical references for the future researches and suggest an urgent need of formulation of the standardized and unified standards in this field.

Effectiveness and Safety of Acupoint Catgut Embedding for the Treatment of Poststroke Constipation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives Acupoint catgut embedding therapy has shown effectiveness in treating functional constipation; however, relevant, high-quality clinical evidence is scarce. This study aimed to systematically assess the effectiveness and safety of acupoint catgut embedding in treating poststroke constipation. Methods Correlative randomized controlled trials were identified through a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Cochrane Library/Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Internet, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang, and VIP databases from inception until February 2022. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results Fifteen trials involving 1084 patients were identified. The meta-analysis revealed that the acupoint catgut embedding group was significantly superior to the non-catgut embedding group with regard to the efficacy rate (RR = 1.27, 95% CI (1.19, 1.37), P < 0.05), the first defecation time (MD = −3.08, 95% CI (−4.53, −1.63), P < 0.05), the defecation sensation score (MD = −0.44, 95% CI (−0.61, −0.26), P < 0.05), the degree of difficulty in defecation (MD = −0.73, 95% CI (−1.10, −0.37), P < 0.05), the PAC-QOL scale score (MD = −10.06, 95% CI (−13.47, −6.64), P < 0.05), and the symptom integral (MD = −3.15, 95% CI (−3.60, −2.71), P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the stool property score (MD = 0.06, 95% CI (−0.39, 0.50), P > 0.05) as well as the incidence of adverse reactions (RD = 0.01, 95% CI (−0.01, 0.03), P > 0.05) between the two groups. Conclusions The results showed that acupoint catgut embedding is probably an effective and safe acupuncture treatment strategy for poststroke constipation. Nevertheless, more rigorously designed, standardized, large-sample, and multicenter randomized controlled designs are warranted to further verify the findings of this study.

Adverse events/adverse reactions of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for psoriasis vulgaris: a systematic review

To systematically review the occurrence of adverse events/adverse reactions (AEs/ARs) induced by acupoint catgut embedding therapy for psoriasis vulgaris (PV) and its safety. Randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, case-series, and case reports concerning the treatment of PV with acupoint catgut embedding therapy were searched from Chinese and English databases from their inception to January 7th, 2021. The AEs/ARs related to acupoint catgut embedding therapy for PV were subjected to descriptive statistics, followed by the analysis of possible reasons. Finally, 16 studies were included, involving 1 158 patients. A total of 79 cases were reported to present with mild to moderate AEs/ARs related to acupoint catgut embedding therapy for PV, and there were no serious AEs/ARs or death cases. The most common AEs/ARs were local redness, swelling, heat, and pain (31.65%,25/79), followed by low-grade fever and fatigue (29.11%,23/79), isomorphic reaction (16.46%,13/79), local induration (13.92%,11/79), and fainting (8.86%,7/79). In terms of embedding materials, catgut (93.67%,74/79) and lumbar puncture needles or other puncture needles (49.37%,39/79) were proved the most common AEs/ARs-inducing factors. The proportion of AEs/ARs resulting from treatment interval≤two weeks (67.09%,53/79) and treatment course≤eight weeks (55.70%,44/79) was relatively high. Because the incidence of AEs/ARs fails to be calcula-ted, it is not yet possible to accurately assess the risk and safety of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for PV. Available evidence suggests that in the treatment of PV, acupoint catgut embedding therapy may induce a series of mild to moderate AEs/ARs, so its clinical practice deserves attention. We should strictly grasp its indications and contraindications, and prevent the occurrence of related AEs/ARs by standardizing the operation and improving the embedding materials.

Acupoint Catgut-Embedding Therapy Inhibits NF-κB/COX-2 Pathway in an Ovalbumin-Induced Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma.

Allergic asthma is associated with T helper (Th) 2 cell-biased immune responses and characterized by the airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Studies have shown that the acupoint catgut-embedding therapy (ACE) has a therapeutic effect on allergic asthma. However, the relevant mechanism is poorly understood. In present study, female BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to establish a model of allergic asthma. AHR was evaluated by using airway resistance (RL) and lung dynamic compliance (Cdyn). Airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion were observed by HE and PAS staining. Inflammatory cells were counted, and related cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pulmonary group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2s) proportions were analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was detected by immunostaining. Our results showed that OVA induction resulted in a significant increase in RL, accompanied by a significant decrease in Cdyn. The levels of interleukin- (IL-) 4, IL-13, OVA-specific IgE in BALF, and the percentage of ILC2 in the lungs were markedly increased accompanied by a significant decreased in interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Furthermore, the expressions of p-NF-κB p65 and COX-2 in airways were significantly upregulated. After ACE treatment, the indicators above were significantly reversed. In conclusion, ACE treatment inhibited the secretion of Th2 cytokines and the proliferation of ILC2s in the lungs, thereby dampening the inflammatory activity in allergic asthma. The underlying mechanism might be related to the inhibition of NF-κB/COX-2 pathway.

Comparing acupoint catgut embedding and acupuncture therapies in simple obesity

Abstract Introduction: As society develops, obesity has become a growing public health issue that seriously affects people's health and quality of life. Acupoint catgut embedding therapy is a new treatment method that continuously stimulates acupoints by implanting catguts into acupoints that has been widely used in East Asian countries to treat obesity. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupoint catgut embedding therapy alone or the combination with other acupuncture therapies compared with same acupuncture therapies for obesity. Methods: Nine electronic databases will be searched from inception to September 2021 without language limitations. Clinicaltrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry platform will also be searched for ongoing trials. Randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of acupoint catgut embedding therapy alone or the combination with other acupuncture therapies compared with same acupuncture therapies for obesity will be included. Two independent reviewers will select the studies, extract the data, and assess the quality of the papers. Risk of bias assessment and meta-analysis will follow the Cochrane guideline, and meta-analysis will be conducted using the RevMan version 5.4.1 software from Cochrane Collaboration. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation will be conducted to assess the confidence in the estimates of effect. The primary outcome will be to assess body mass index, body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip ratio, and body fat percentage. The secondary outcome will be to evaluate metabolic markers and adverse effects. Discussion: The systematic review will provide evidence of the safety and effectiveness of acupoint catgut embedding therapy with other acupuncture therapies in clinical settings for obese patients. This systematic review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed publication or relevant academic conference. Trial register number: INPLASY2021100014

The effectiveness of acupoint application of traditional Chinese medicine in treating primary dysmenorrhea: A protocol for meta-analysis and data mining.

Background:Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a functional disease of the female reproductive system, which has adverse effects on patients’ physical and mental health and quality of life. At present, acupoint application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as adjuvant therapy is undergoing clinical trials in different medical centers. However, there is no systematic review or meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of acupoint application of TCM in the treatment of PD. There is also a lack of systematic evaluation and analysis of acupoints and herbs.Methods:All randomized controlled trials related to acupoint catgut embedding therapy on PD will be searched in the following electronic databases: Cochrane Central Registry of controlled trials, PubMed, Wed of Science, EMBASE, Science Net, China Biomedical Literature Database, China Science Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wan-Fang Database, from inception to May, 2021 were searched without language restrictions. The primary outcomes contain visual analog score, The Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale, while the secondary outcomes consist of adverse events and the recurrence rate. Two reviewers will independently perform data selection, data synthesis, and quality assessment. Data meeting the inclusion criteria will be extracted and analyzed by Revman v.5.3 software. Two reviewers will evaluate the study using the Cochrane collaborative bias risk tool. We will use the scoring method to assess the overall quality of the evidence supporting the main results. We will also use Spass software (version 19.0) for complex network analysis to explore the potential core prescription of acupoint application of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of PD.Results:This study will analyze the clinical effective rate, functional outcomes, quality of life, improvement of clinical symptoms of PD, and effective prescriptions of acupoint application for patients with PD.Conclusion:Our findings will provide evidence for the effectiveness and potential treatment prescriptions of acupoint application for patients with PD.PROSPERO registration number: CRD 42021244357

Electroacupuncture combined with acupoint catgut embedding for postoperative pain after fistulotomy

To evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) combined with acupoint catgut embedding the-rapy for postoperative pain after fistulotomy. A total of 138 patients were randomly assigned into EA, acupoint catgut embedding and combination groups, with 46 patients in each group. The interventions were performed 30 min before surgery in all the three groups. The acupoints were Changqiang(GV1) and Chengshan(BL57). The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and limb activity score of the three groups at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after surgery, as well as maximum VAS score within 24 h(T24max VAS) of 1-3 d and total amounts of oral analgesic within 72 h after surgery were observed and recorded. The VAS score and limb activity score from the 6, 12 and 24 h after surgery, and T24max VAS score on the 1st day of the EA group were lower than those of the acupoint embedding group (P<0.05). While the VAS pain score and limb activity score at the 48 h and 72 h after surgery, and T24max VAS score at the 2nd to 3rd day, and total dose of oral analgesic within 72 h in the acupoint embedding group were lower than those of the EA group (P<0.05). The combination group was superior to the EA and acupoint embedding groups in terms of VAS score and limb activity score at different postoperative time, T24max VAS score at 1-3 d after surgery, and the total amounts of analgesic used within 72 h (P<0.05). EA combined with acupoint catgut embedding is more effective than simple EA or acupoint catgut embedding for postoperative pain after fistulotomy, with significant curative effect and no adverse reactions.

Acupoint catgut embedding for the treatment of peptic ulcers: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

Background:Peptic ulcer (PU) is a common clinical disease of the digestive system, which can occur in all ages, gastric and duodenal ulcers are the most commonly seen PUs in clinical practice. The main manifestations are chronic and periodic rhythmic upper abdominal pain, accompanied by indigestion symptoms such as pantothenic acid, belching, and nausea. Serious complications such as bleeding, perforation, obstruction and canceration are easy to occur, endangering the life safety of patients. There are many ways to treat PU in clinic, and acupoint catgut embedding therapy has its unique advantages. Hence, our systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupoint embedding therapy in the treatment of PU and to provide a reliable basis for physician.Methods:We will search electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database (WF), China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and China Scientific Journals Database (VIP) from establishment to April 2021, and will manually searched the list of medical journals as a supplement. Two authors will screen the studies independently, as well as extract data information, and assess methodological quality through the Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool. The Stata software (Version 16.0) software will be used for statistical analysis.Results:By evaluating the current status of acupoint catgut embedding for Peptic ulcer disease, this study would prove the effectiveness and safety of acupoint embedding therapy, and will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusion:This systematic review will provide a credible evidence-based for acupoint catgut embedding in the treatment of peptic ulcer.INPLASY Registration number:INPLASY202130097

Recent Trends in Catgut Therapy Using Textile Materials

The article comprehensively reviews recent developments in textile materials used for catgut embedding therapy applications. Polyglycolic acid (PGA) monofilament has been regarded as an excellent acupoint catgut embedding therapy (ACET) material because it offers numerous advantages, including easy accessibility and good forming and degradable properties. However, the poor hydrophilicity and cytocompatibility are the main disadvantages preventing it from having wider applications. Chitosan coating on acupoint catgut embedding therapy (ACET) is a critical issue in improving the comprehensive performances of embedding materials. However, the existing coating technologies have struggled to keep pace with both the academic study and industrial production. This work proposed a novel chitosan coating system consisted of pretreatment, spray-coating and rolling and drying parts. To evaluate the feasibility of this system, four types of monofilaments, namely polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), polydioxanone (PDO) and polyglycolide acid (PGA), were adopted and their properties, such as swelling, compression and hydrophilicity, were also measured. Surgical site infections are liable to cause significant postoperative morbidity and increase health costs. However, polylactic acid and poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) acupoint catgut-embedding therapy materials used to stimulate certain points for curing diseases are typically devoid of antibacterial activity. Novel polylactic acid and poly (D, L-lactide-coglycolide) embedding materials have been developed with effective antibacterial properties via chitosan-coating treatment that retained their inherent excellent characteristics. Acupoint catgut-embedding therapy (ACET) is considered one of the most promising technologies to replace traditional acupuncture therapy in clinical settings. Polyglycolic acid (PGA) monofilament shows great potential for ACET applications due to its advantages of good formability and biodegradability. The ideal embedding materials are required to have excellent swelling, mechanical, and antibacterial properties. For this paper we prepared two types of PGA monofilaments by first using the melt-spinning method and then applying chitosan onto the PGA monofilaments at three different concentrations.

Acupoint catgut-embedding therapy as promising treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

To investigate the effect of acupoint catgut-embedding therapy on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Twenty-three participants were subjected to acupoint catgut-embedding therapy for 3 sessions. The second session was performed one month after the first session and the third session two months after the second session. Three months after the third session of catgut-embedding therapy, the patients were subjected to fibroscan analysis. A total of 20 acupoints were selected in three sessions. Same acupoints were selected for all the patients at the same session but different points were selected at different sessions. Of the 23 participants, 5 cases showed significant improvement and 8 cases showed moderate improvement as the steatosis stage was reduced by 1 or 2 degrees. The whole group showed significant improvements in terms of patient score, fat percentage, NAFLD steatosis stage, weight loss and abdominal circumference reduction after acupoint catgut-embedding therapy (all P<0.05). The acupoint catgut-embedding therapy can significantly improve the important factors in patients with NAFLD.

Plasma Modification of PLA/PGA Embedding Threads with Different Proportions: A Strategy for Developing Novel ACET Materials

Polylactic acid (PLA) and polyglycolic acid (PGA) have been widely used in the acupoint catgut embedding therapy (ACET) field. However, some defects such as hydrophobicity, poor swelling and cell adhesion properties which significantly limit their further applications. Herein, we report a strategy for developing ACET materials via 3D fabrication and plasma treatment. The results showed that modified samples showed rougher surface morphology and better hydrophilicity. Sample L4G0 (PLA strands: PGA strands=4:0) showed the largest tensile strength and elongation values at 32.15±5.26 cN/dtex and 56.37±4.38 %, respectively. Samples were proved to be non-toxicity and had better cell attachment and tissue growth ability after modification. In sum, the strategy of plasma modified PLA/PGA is deserved to be further studied with outstanding clinical efficacy.

Chitosan–gelatin enhanced antibacterial and biological properties of PLA and PGA braided threads for juvenile pseudomyopia treatment

Polylactic acid (PLA) and polyglycolide acid (PGA) have been the most widely used biomedical materials in the acupoint catgut-embedding therapy (ACET) fields. However, a lack of antibacterial and biological properties is a definite obstacle that hinders its further application in juvenile pseudomyopia treatment. Here, four different kinds of PLA and PGA threads were fabricated, and were then modified using chitosan–gelatin coating method. Afterwards, PLA and PGA braided threads were fully characterized with respect to structure, mechanical and biological properties. The results showed that the surface roughness of PLA and PGA had been greatly improved; FT-IR analysis proved the existence of chitosan and gelatin molecules, the modified PLA (M-PLA-a = 87.1° ± 1.5°, M-PLA-b = 83.5° ± 1.4°) had smaller contact angle values than that of non-modified PLA (PLA-a = 108.6° ± 2.6°, PLA-b = 116.2° ± 3.1°), and that of the modified PGA (M-PGA-a = 79.3° ± 3.2°, M-PGA-b = 73.8° ± 1.8°) was smaller compared with that of the non-modified PGA (PGA-a = 98.2° ± 1.7°, PGA-b = 83.5° ± 1.4°). Based on the mechanical testing results, the tensile property and flexibility of samples increased slightly, and their swelling behavior also increased correspondingly. All the prepared samples exhibited non-toxicity with cell viability of more than 75%, and samples M-PGA-b presented the largest cell attachment ratios. In sum, this work exhibited great potential in the ACET application for juvenile pseudomyopia treatment.

Biological functionalization of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) with ammonia and chitosan–gelatin combined treatment for acupoint catgut-embedding therapy

Polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) has attracted extensive attention in acupoint catgut embedding therapy (ACET). However, developing biological functionalization for ACET materials remains challenging to due to its poor surface properties. In this work, PLGA was first treated with ammonia solution, and chitosan–gelatin coating was then introduced onto the surface of PLGA braided thread to achieve biological functionalization. Characteristics such as structural, mechanical, and in vitro properties were then fully evaluated. The results showed that modified samples showed more surface roughness than non-modified ones, and weight and diameter changes in samples increased after coating treatment, together with surface hydrophilicity; mechanical properties such as tensile property and bending stiffness of samples were greatly enhanced. Non-coated samples exhibited no antibacterial properties, while that of coated samples showed different antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. No samples showed toxicity, with more than 75% cells viable. In sum, the strategy of surface-modified PLGA using a combined ammonia and chitosan–gelatin treatment showed great potential in the application of ACET.

Acupoint catgut embedding therapy for functional constipation: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:This review will assess current evidence related to the effectiveness and safety of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for functional constipation (FC) and provide efficacy assessments for clinical applications.Methods:We will search the following databases for relevant trials: PubMed, EMBASE OVID, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, OVID MEDLINE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane library, and Scopus. We will also search the following Chinese databases for trials published in the Chinese literature: China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journals Database, Wan Fang Database, Chinese Biomedicine and other resources from inception to December 2020. Only randomized controlled trials comparing acupoint catgut embedding versus acupuncture or sham acupuncture or placebo or other therapies will be included. The outcomes involved mean spontaneous bowel movements, complete spontaneous bowel movements, the Bristol Stool Form Scale, the Cleveland Clinic Score, Patient Assessment of Constipation symptom and so on. The risk of bias assessment and quality of evidence for outcomes will be appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidelines. RevMan 5.3 software will be employed for the meta-analysis.Results:This work will compare and arrange the comparative efficacy of acupoint catgut embedding with different treatments for FC by summarizing the current evidences.Conclusion:The results of this meta-analysis may help doctors determine the best treatments for patients to manage FC.Ethics and dissemination:This is a protocol with no patient recruitment and personal information collection, approval by the ethics committee is not required.OSF Registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/XTKE2.