Acupoint Injection Group Research Articles

Acupoint injection for asthma: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness and safety of acupoint injection for the treatment of asthma. MethodsSix electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupoint injection for asthma. Two authors extracted data and assessed methodological quality independently using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool. Data were evaluated using RevMan v5.2. ResultsEighteen RCTs involving 1913 participants with asthma were identified. Overall methodological quality of the RCTs was classified as unclear risk of bias. Western medicine (12 RCTs) was injected most frequently into acupoints, followed by Chinese herbal medicine (four RCTs), vitamins (one RCT), and Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine (one RCT). Four RCTs used only one acupoint [ST36 (two RCTs), BL13, CV22], whereas the other RCTs selected multiple acupoints (among which BL13 was used most frequently). One RCT reported mortality, no RCT reported quality of life, 15 RCTs reported the symptom improvement rate, one RCT reported asthma control test (ACT) data, one RCT reported the duration of asthma, three RCTs reported the mean time that asthma was controlled (MTAC), and 13 RCTs reported lung-function tests (LFTs). Some RCTs showed acupoint injection may improve the attack time of asthma, MTAC, and LFTs. Five RCTs reported the outcome of adverse events and showed no significant differences between the acupoint injection group and control group. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that acupoint injection may be effective for improving ACT data, duration of asthma, MTAC and LFTs. However, the evidence is insufficient owing to the poor methodological quality of the RCTs.

Multicenter randomly controlled trial on acupoint injection therapy with Chinese herbal medicines for oculomotor paralysis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effect of acupoint injection therapy for paralysis of oculomotor nerve with Chinese herbal medicines. MethodsA total number of 456 patients from 3 centers with paralysis of oculomotor nerve were randomly divided into an acupoint injection group and a control group with 228 cases each. Patients in the acupoint injection group were treated with injection of Chinese herbal medicines to Jīngmíng (▪ BL 1), Yángbái (▪ GB 14), Sìbái (▪ ST 2), Tóngziliáo (▪ GB 1) on the affected side, and Gĕnshū (▪ BL 18) on both sides, Compound Angelica Injection was the main drug, and the corresponding acupoints and other injection drugs were also used according to differentiation of syndrome. Patients in the control group were treated with common western medicine. The treatment was given once a day, 10 times constituted one course with 3 days of interval. After 3 courses, the effect was assessed. TCM syndrome score, eyeball movement degree, the sizes of oculi rimae and pupil of the two groups were recorded before and after treatment. ResultsThe effective rate of acupoint injection group was 91.7% (209/228), and that of the control group was 73.6% (168/228). There was statistical significance in comparing the difference between the two groups (P<0.05). TCM syndrome scores of the two groups after the treatment became less obviously than those before the treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05), the score of acupoint injection group was more reduced than that of the control group (P<0.05). Eyeball movement degree and oculi rimae were enlarged and the pupil reduced in the affected eye in both groups after the treatment (all P<0.05). The musculus rectus medialis for the eyeball movement in the acupoint injection group was more improved than that of the control group, and the oculi rimae was bigger in the acupoint injection group than that in the control group (both P<0.05). ConclusionAcupoint injection therapy with Chinese herbal medicines has assured effect on the treatment of oculomotor paralysis.

Preliminary Study on the Mechanism of Acupoint Injection of BoneMarrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Improving Blood Flow in the Rat of Hind Limb Ischemia

To explore the mechanism of acupoint injection of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in improving blood flow in the rat with hind limb ischemia. Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal control group (n = 6), model group (n = 6), BM-MSCs acupoint injection group (AI group, n = 6) and BM-MSC intramuscular injection group (MI group, n = 6). Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Housanli (ST 36), Zhaohai (KI 6), Huantiao (GB 30) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) were selected for the AI group, and five non-acupoints were selected on gastrocnemius and adductor of ischemic hind limbs in the MI group. BM-MSCs were injected to the latter two groups. The rat hind limb ischemia model was established with the method of blocking the femoral artery and its branches. Three weeks after injection of BM-MSCs, in each group, hindlimb adductor and gastrocnemius were taken from the ischemic side. Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transfer growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in the skeletal muscle were determined with immunohistochemical method, and the small arteries in the skeletal muscle were labeled with alpha-SMA immunohistochemical staining method, the density of small arteries (number of arterioles/number of muscle fibers) and the number of the blood vessel with VEGF positive expression were calculated. The serum levels of VEGF and nitric oxide (NO) were detected. Compared with the model group, the expression of VEGF and TGF-beta1, and the density of small arteries and the number of VEGF-positive blood vessels in the AI group and the MI group significantly increased (both P < 0.01). Compared with the MI group, the density of small arteries and the number of VEGF-positive blood vessels in the AI group significantly increased (both P < 0.01); Compared with the model group and the normal control group, the serum expression quantity of NO and VEGF in the AI group and the MI group were significantly increased (P < 0.01). Acuppoint injection of BM-MSCs secrets more VEGF, TGF-beta1 and NO to increase angiogenesis and arteriogenesis, so as to improve blood flow of the rats of hind limb ischemic.

Clinical observation of acupuncture, Tuina and acupoint injection on cervicogenic headache

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of acupuncture therapy and Tuina therapy in treating cervicogenic headache.Method: Forty inpatients, were divided into acupuncture and Tuina group (experiment group,n=20), and Tuina and acupoint injection group (controlled group,n=20) with random number table. Patients in the experimental group were firstly needled Fengchi (GB 20, major acupoint), Taiyang (Ex-HN 5), Baihui (GV 20), Shuaigu (GB 8), and Jiaji (Ex-B 2) around the affected cervical vertebrae, and applied Tuina treatment. Patients in the controlled group were treated with Tuina treatment, and then injection in Fengchi (GB 20) with 500 μg of Methycobal. Before and after treatment, all patients in both groups were evaluated with Evaluation Scale for Cervicogenic Headache.Result: After treatment, score of each item of patients in both two groups were enhanced (P<0.01), and compared with patients in the controlled group, patients in the experimental group had higher scores of headache(13.1±3.02 vs 10.8±2.36,P<0.01), daily life and working (3.3±0.66 vs 2.6±0.79,P <0.01), mental state and social adjustment (3.1±0.75,P<0.05), and total points (24.6±4.36 vs 20.3±2.53,P<0.01).Conclusion: Acupuncture combining with Tuina had better effects than acupoint with Tuina, and could effectively relieve pain, and enhance quality of life and ability of social adjustment in patients with cervicogenic headache.