Moxibustion Treatment Research Articles

Effects of moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12) on chronic atrophic gastritis in rats.

To evaluate the effects of moxibustion and acupuncture of Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12) acupoints on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) in rats, and to study the mechanisms behind their actions. Forty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were induced with CAG by intragastric administration of 40% ethanol combined with free drinking of N-methyl-N'nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and irregular feeding for 12 weeks, followed by daily treatment with moxibustion or acupuncture for 2 weeks. Histopathologic examination, Western blotting of cytokines [epidermal growth factor (EGF), EGF receptor (EGFR), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK)], and 1H NMR-based metabolic profiling of gastric tissues were used to measure changes related to CAG modeling and treatment. Moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12) each relieved CAG-induced abnormalities in histopathology and cytokine expression of ERK and p-ERK. Only moxibustion treatment regulated the expression of EGF and EGFR. Metabolites that were increased in gastric tissue by CAG induction (alanine, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, uracil DNA glycosylase, lactate, glycerol and adenosine) were restored to normal levels after moxibustion treatment; acupuncture treatment only normalized the levels of adenosine monophosphate and glycerol. Our findings suggest that moxibustion or acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12) can significantly improve the condition of CAG in rats. These treatments exert their effects on CAG through different mechanisms.

Therapeutic efficacy observation on moxibustion with moxa of different storage years for moderate-to-severe primary knee osteoarthritis

By observing the differences in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores in moxibustion treatment for moderate-to-severe primary knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with moxa of different storage years (3-year moxa and 1-year moxa from Qichun, Huanggang City, Hubei Province, China) through a randomized clinical trial, to objectively evaluate the differences in therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion with moxa of different storage years. A total of 63 patients with moderate-to-severe KOA who met the inclusion criteria were randomized into moxibustion group 1 and moxibustion group 2 by central randomization method, with 32 cases in moxibustion group 1 and 31 cases in moxibustion group 2. Moxibustion group 1 was treated with moxa stored for 3 years, and moxibustion group 2 was treated with moxa stored for 1 year. Dubi (ST 35), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4) and Heding (EX-LE 2) were selected in both groups, and the treatment lasted 20 min per time, 3 times a week. The immediate efficacy was compared after 6 times of treatment, and long-term efficacy was compared at follow-up 4 weeks after the end of treatment. During the treatment, there were 2 dropouts in moxibustion group 1, and 1 dropout in moxibustion group 2. The total effective rate in the two groups was 83.3% and 60.0%, respectively. Followed up at 4 weeks after the end of treatment, the total effective rate in the two groups was 80.0% and 66.7%, respectively. There were no statistical differences between the two groups (both P>0.05). After treatment and 4 weeks after the end of treatment, the WOMAC and VAS scores in both groups decreased significantly compared with those before treatment (all P 0.05). Moxibustion with moxa of different storage years (stored for 3 years and 1 year) both can improve the pain, stiffness and motor function in patients with moderate-to-severe KOA. While moxa stored for 3 years has a better therapeutic efficacy in improving stiffness of the knee joint than that stored for 1 year.

Reporting quality of systematic reviews with moxibustion

BackgroundMoxibustion is one of the major interventions of Chinese medicine (CM). The systematic reviews (SRs) are essential references for evaluating the efficacy and safety of moxibustion interventions. This study aimed to assess the reporting quality of these SRs, particularly whether necessary information related to moxibustion was adequately reported.MethodsSeven databases (including four English and three Chinese databases) were systematically searched for SRs of moxibustion that were published up to 31 December 2019. The primary analysis was to assess their reporting quality based on 27-item of the Preferred Reporting Items for SRs and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and 14-item of moxibustion-related information designed according to CM theory and the STandards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials Of Moxibustion (STRICTOM). Descriptive statistics were also used to analyze their baseline characteristics.ResultsA total of 97 SRs of moxibustion were identified from 2011 to 2019. For 27-item of PRISMA, except item 5, 8, 16 and 23, the remaining 23 items had the reporting compliances higher than 55%, of which 2 items (item 20 and 26) were fully reporting (100%). However, for moxibustion-related information, 69.1% (67/97) SRs did not provide the specific type of moxibustion, 39.2% (38/97) lacked details regarding the materials, procedure and technique used for moxibustion, 67.0% (65/97) did not report the selection criteria of acupoints for moxibustion, 28.9% (28/97) did not provide the number or duration of treatment sessions, 69.1% (67/97) did not provide any information about safety evaluation, and 94.8% (92/97) SRs did not report the treatment environment. For 51 (55.4%) of 92 SRs that included meta-analysis, it was impossible to assess whether meta-analysis had been properly conducted due to inadequate reporting of moxibustion interventions.ConclusionThe reporting quality of SRs of moxibustion need further improvements in terms of adequate reporting of moxibustion interventions and of moxibustion-related rationales. Reporting guideline of “PRISMA extension for moxibustion interventions” should be developed thus to improve their quality.

Effects of moxibustion on serum cytokines in experimental animals with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To systematically review the effects of moxibustion on serum cytokines in experimental animals with rheumatoid arthritis. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, and CBM were searched for animal experiments on moxibustion intervention for rheumatoid arthritis. Related data were extracted, and RevMan 5.3 was used to perform a meta-analysis of outcome measures, including serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and degree of swelling of diseased joint. A total of 18 studies were included. The detection methods included radioimmunoassay and ELISA and the experimental animal species included rats and rabbits. The studies on serum TNF-α and degree of swelling of diseased joint had publication bias. Meta-analysis showed that the moxibustion group had significant reductions in the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, VEGF, IL-17, and RANKL, significant increases in the serum levels of TGF-β and IFN-γ, and a significant reduction in the degree of swelling of diseased joints in model animals. Moxibustion can effectively regulate levels of the serum cytokines in experimental animals of rheumatoid arthritis and thus reduce inflammatory response and alleviate the swelling of diseased joints.

The effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a disease of the urinary system. It is common in middle-aged and elderly men. Moxibustion is widely used to manage BPH and the associated lower urinary tract symptoms, but there is still lack of systematic review of moxibusiton for BPH. So the aim of this review is to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion in the treatment of BPH.Methods:The following 8 electronic databases including PubMed (1966–2020), EMbase (1980–2020), the Cochrane Library, Web of Science (1900–2020), China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (1979–2020), WanFang Database (1998–2020), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (1989–2020), and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (1979–2020) will be searched. No language restrictions will be used. Researchers will retrieve databases, identify trials, extract data, and evaluate the quality of eligible randomized controlled trials, independently. The outcomes will include: total effective rate, the American Urologic Association Symptom Score, International Prostate Symptom Score, urinary flow rate (measured in mL/s), changes in prostate size (measured in cc), quality of life, side effects and adverse events. The quality of methodology and evidence will be rated by using the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool and grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation tool, respectively. Data synthesis will be presented by the manager of the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.3.0.Results:We will show the results of this study in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusions:The findings will provide credible clinical evidence of moxibustion treatment for BPH.PROSPERO Registration number:CRD42020190630.

Thermodynamic characteristics of moxa floss and its biological effects and therapeutic mechanism on osteoarthritis rats

Moxa floss is the main material of moxibustion, which plays a therapeutic role through the thermal effect of combustion. In this paper, TG/DSC thermal analysis method was used to study the characteristic parameters of combustion heat of moxa floss produced in Qichun, and the thermal therapeutic effect and mechanism of moxibustion were studied through moxibustion OA animal model. The results show that the combustion process of moxa floss can be divided into three stages: drying, combustion oxidation and carbonization, and ash burnout. The combustion properties of moxa floss are between herbaceous and woody, and tend to be woody, with flammable, slow and lasting combustion characteristics. Moxibustion can relieve the pathological state of knee joint synovium to a certain extent, reduce knee joint swelling and blood stasis in OA rats, reduce interstitial edema, and improve local inflammation. The mechanism and target point of moxibustion treatment for OA may be up-regulating TRPM3 gene to activate ion channels, affecting calcium metabolism and reducing OA swelling degree; down-regulation of GAPDH affects glucose metabolism of knee synovial cells and mediates anti-inflammatory effect. Down-regulation of pain-related gene MMP24 is helpful to relieve OA pain. Up-regulation of CTNNB1 activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and affects differentiation and regeneration of OA chondrocytes. This study reveals the pyrolysis characteristics of moxa floss for the first time and discusses the biological effect and possible mechanism of moxibustion heat, providing new ideas for the quality evaluation of moxa floss and the mechanism of moxibustion therapy.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Moxibustion Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of moxibustion treatment for osteoarthritis. There were 9 databases used to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used moxibustion as treatment for osteoarthritis. The quality of methodology for the RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool [Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.3 Windows, The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark]. The inclusion criteria for this review was met by 27 RCTs. All studies were conducted in China. A 4-week moxibustion treatment period was the most common. EX-LE4 and SP10 and GB34 acupoints were most frequently selected in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The most commonly used evaluation index was the visual analog scale (VAS). All studies, including a meta-analysis showed that moxibustion treatments were statistically significantly effective at treating knee osteoarthritis. However, welldesigned randomized RCTs without a high risk of bias should be designed in the future.

Quality of moxa wool contained in commercial moxibustion devices: test method and examples of waste particle concentration.

Moxibustion treatment involves a combination of thermal and chemical stimulation applied by the combustion of moxa wool. The quality of moxa wool is considered to be an important factor in moxibustion treatment traditionally and clinically. However, despite its importance, quantitative and objective methods for determining moxa wool quality are lacking. Moxa wool and commercial indirect moxibustion (CIM) device specimens were randomly collected, dried and strained through sieves of various sizes for 10 h. After sieving, the residues remaining on each sieve were collected. The collected samples were weighed and microscopically observed. In this study, we observed that fibres mainly remained on sieves sized 425 μm, and particles were smaller than 300 μm. The residues between 425 and 300 μm varied between the products. In addition, moxa wool for direct moxibustion (DMW) exhibited significantly more fibres than moxa wool for indirect moxibustion (IMW). Most of the CIM devices using moxa wool had a quality similar to IMW, except for one CIM brand using moxa wool that contained three times more waste particles than IMW. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that the sieving method is useful for testing the quality of moxa wool even after the CIM manufacturing process. The sieve sizes of 425 and 300 μm could be used as a yardstick to determine the quality of moxa wool. Although this approach requires larger scale validation against existing standard methodologies, we believe it has great potential to be used to improve and safeguard the quality of moxa wool contained in commercial moxibustion devices.

Moxibustion for treating chronic pelvic inflammatory disease: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (CPID) is a difficult-to-treat gynaecological disorder, which has complex etiologies, among married women. In recent years, moxibustion has gradually shown its clinical advantages and been more and more widely used In China. The protocol is try to synthesize and assess the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for patients with CPID.Methods:Seven databases as following: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WangFang Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Chinese Biomedical Literatures Database will be searched from their inception to May 2020. No restrictions about language and status. Study selection, data collection, and quality assessment will be respectively conducted by 2 researchers. Based on the heterogeneity test results, the fixed-effects or random-effects model will be selected to synthesize data. The effective rate, Pelvic inflammatory mass diameter and Pelvic fluid depth will be the primary outcomes. Patient reported outcome scale, visual analog scale, C-reactive protein, transforming growth factor β1 = transforming growth factor β, incidence of any adverse events will be the secondary outcomes. Revman 5.4 software will be implemented for data synthesis. Dichotomous data will be represented by risk ratio for efficacy and safety of CPID treated with moxibustion, while continuous data will be represented by mean difference with a 95% confidence interval.Results:The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. This study will provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence for the treatment of moxibustion with CPID.Conclusions:This study expects to provide high-quality, evidence-based recommendations on further treatment for clinical guidance of CPID.Trial registration number:CRD42020158744 in PROSPERO 2020.

Research strategy thoughts about acupuncture-moxibustion treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis by suppressing apoptosis via circular RNA

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a common digestive disease in clinic. Previous experimental and clinical studies have shown that acupuncture has a positive effect for CAG. Apoptosis of gastric mucosal tissue has been shown to play an important role in the process of gastric atrophy and possibly further carcinogenesis in CAG, and the circular RNA (circRNA), a novel class of non-coding RNA, has been confirmed to play a regulatory role in the downstream pathway of apoptosis by many stu-dies. Accumulated findings of experimental studies showed that acupuncture and moxibustion interventions could suppress apoptosis of the cultured human gastric mucosal epithelial cells and lower apoptotic index of gastric mucosal cells in CAG rats. Therefore, circRNA is likely to mediate the inhibitory effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on apoptosis of gastric mucosal epithelial cells in CAG. In this paper, we systematically summarized 1) the regulation of circRNA on apoptosis, 2) the apoptosis and pathological mechanism of CAG, 3) the effect of acupuncture on apoptosis, and proposed that circRNA is highly likely to be involved in the positive effect of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions for CAG. It is recommended that researches should further reveal the scientific basis of acupuncture and moxibustion therapies in the treatment of CAG by exploring the role of related circRNAs and their downstream target proteins in the gastric mucosal tissues.

42 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 of the ordinary type with the adjuvant treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion 热敏灸辅助治疗普通型新冠肺炎42例

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical therapeutic effect of adjuvant treatment with heat-sensitive moxibustion for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) of the ordinary type. MethodsA total of 42 patients with COVID-19 of the ordinary type were adopted. Shénquè (神阙 CV8) and Tiānshū (天枢 ST25) were selected. Heat-sensitive moxibustion was operated according to the required standard, 40 min to 60 min each time, once daily. Before and after moxibustion, the improvements in clinical symptoms were evaluated, such as chest oppression, poor appetite, lassitude and negative emotions. Results(1) The number of cases and the incidence was 21 cases (50.0%), 24 cases (57.1%) and 26 cases (61.9%) for chest oppression, poor appetite and lassitude before heat-sensitive moxibustion. The number of cases was reduced to be 10 cases (23.8%), 7 cases (16.7%) and 4 cases (9.5%) after the 1st treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion for chest oppression, poor appetite, and lassitude. It was reduced to be 11 cases (26.2%), 8 cases (19.0%) and 4 cases (9.5%) after the 2nd treatment of moxibustion and it was reduced to be 18 cases (42.9%), 10 cases (23.8%) and 6 cases (14.3%) after the 3rd treatment of moxibustion. The incidences of the symptoms were all reduced obviously as compared with those before treatment. (2) Before treatment with heat-sensitive moxibustion, there were 24 cases of negative emotions (57.1%). It was reduced to be 16 cases (38.1%), 11 cases (26.2%) and 3 cases (7.1%) after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion successively. The incidences were all reduced obviously as compared with those before treatment. (3) After the 1st treatment, the active acceptance rate of heat-sensitive moxibustion was 100% (42/42) in the patients, higher than 11.9% (5/42) before treatment. ConclusionAdjuvant treatment with heat-sensitive moxibustion effectively relieves the symptoms of COVID-19 such as chest oppression, poor appetite and lassitude, and alleviates the negative emotions, such as tension and anxiety. This therapy improves the therapeutic effect of COVID-19 and deserves to be promoted in clinical practice.

Effect specificity of the early intervention with moxibustion at “BL23” in Alzheimer's disease rats modeled by ovariectomy and D-Galactose injection 艾灸“肾俞”早期干预去卵巢合D-半乳糖注射AD样大鼠效应中的特异性

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of the early intervention with moxibustion at “Shènshū (肾俞 BL23) ” on learning and memory of Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats modeled by ovariectomy and D-Galactose (D-Gal) injection and the effect on Ca2+/CaMKII/CREB signaling pathway so as to provide the evidence for the acupoint selection in the early intervention with acupuncture and moxibustion for AD. MethodsSixty female SD rats at the age of 3 months were selected and randomly divided into a normal group, a sham-operation group, a model group, a “BL23” group, a “Wèishū” (胃俞BL21) group, and a non-acupoint group, 10 rats in each group. Except in the normal group and the sham-operation group, bilateral ovaries were removed in the other 4 groups. 3 days after the operation, D-Gal was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 150 mg/kg/d for 90 days to establish AD rat model. In the sham-operation group, only the peripheral fat of ovarian was removed and 0.9% normal saline was injected intraperitoneally of the same dose for 90 days. In the “BL23” group, the “BL21” group and the non-acupoints group, since the 2nd day after ovariectomy, moxibustion was applied at 9:00 a.m. every day in the rats. The rats were fixed on a fixed table, the mild moxibustion with self-prepared moxa stick was applied to bilateral “BL23” “BL21” and the non-acupoint of each rat, the ignited end of moxa stick was 2 cm to 3 cm far from skin surface. The infrared thermometer was adopted to measure the temperature of the epidermis of each acupoint from time to time so as to maintain the local temperature to be (41 ± 0.5) °C. Mild moxibustion lasted for 10 min each time, consecutively for 5 days a week and at an interval of 2 days. The total consecutive intervention duration was 12 weeks. In the normal group and the sham-operation group, no moxibustion intervention was performed, but the rats were restricted in a same way during the experiment. At the end of modeling and intervention, water maze test was adopted to detect the learning and memory abilities of rats in each group. The western blotting was used to detect the expressions of p-CREB, p-CaMKII, CaMKII and CREB in hippocampus of rats in each group. Results(1)Navigation test: since Day 72, compared with the sham-operation group, the escape latencies in all of the consecutive 5 days were longer in the model group (all P < 0.05). Since Day 73, compared with the normal group, the escape latency in all of the consecutive 4 days was shorter in the “BL23” group (all P < 0.05). (2) Times across platform: compared with the normal group, the number of times consecutively crossing the platform was lower in the model group (P < 0.05). After moxibustion, compared with the model group, the number of times across platform was higher in the “BL23” group, indicating a statistical significance (P < 0.05). (3)Moving track of water maze spatial probe: the “tendency” strategy was displayed in the normal group and the sham operation group. The “marginal” strategy, which is commonly seen in the AD rats, was displayed in the model group. The “random” strategy was displayed in the “BL23” group. The “marginal” strategy was presented in the “BL21” group and the non-acupoint group. (4) Expressions of hippocampal P-CAMKII, CAMKII, CREB and P-CREB in the rats: compared with the normal group, the phosphorylation degrees of CAMKII and CREB were significantly reduced (both P < 0.05) in the model group. In 12 weeks of moxibustion, compared with the model group, the levels of P-CAMKII and P-CREB were increased in the “BL23” group and the “BL21” group (all P < 0.05) and the levels in the “BL23” group were higher than that of the “BL21” group and the non-acupoint group (all P < 0.05). ConclusionMoxibustion at “BL23” achieves a better effect in improving the learning and memory of AD rats modeled by ovariectomy and D-Gal injection as compared with moxibustion at “BL21” and the non-acupoint. The effect mechanism is potentially related to the effective activation of Ca2+/CaMKII/CREB signaling pathway.

Effects of herb-partitioned moxibustion for ulcerative colitis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic, chronic inflammatory disease of the colonic mucosa. Herb-partitioned moxibustion (HPM) treatment has been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of UC. However, there is still a lack of high-quality evidence to support the effectiveness and safety of HPM on patients with UC. This study will aim to systematically explore the efficacy of HPM for the treatment of UC.Methods:We will search the electronic databases of Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, China national knowledge infrastructure database (CNKI), Wan fang database, Chongqing VIP information, and SinoMed from their inception to June 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of HPM for the treatment of UC will be included. RevMan 5.3 software (The Nordic Cochrane Center, The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark) will be applied for statistical analysis.Results:The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusion:The conclusion of our systematic review will provide more appropriate evidence-based decisions to assist clinicians during the decision-making process when dealing with UC.

Effectiveness and safety of electrical moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis: A multicenter, randomized, assessor-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial

BackgroundThe prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is increasing, and it has emerged as a major health issue. Studies have been reported that moxibustion is effective for treating KOA, but conventional moxibustion is difficult to control the intensity of stimulation and causes smoke, harmful gases, or odors. An electrical moxibustion (EM) device was developed to solve these problems, so we conducted this study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EM as a treatment for KOA. MethodsThis is a multicenter, randomized, assessor-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial. Participants with KOA were randomly allocated into EM, traditional indirect moxibustion (TIM), or usual care groups. The moxibustion groups were received 12 sessions of moxibustion treatment at six acupuncture points (ST36, ST35, ST34, SP9, EX-LE4, SP10) over a period of 6 weeks. The usual care group was received usual treatment and self-care. The primary outcome was the degree of pain measured by numerical rating scale (NRS). The second outcomes were measured using visual analog scale, Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index, patient global assessment, European quality of life five dimension five level scale, and warm sense threshold and heat pain threshold. For safety assessment, laboratory test and adverse events (AEs) were recorded. ResultsA total of 138 participants were assigned. While there was no significant NRS change in the usual care, EM and TIM showed significant decrease after treatment. Compared to the usual care, the mean change of NRS in the EM and TIM was significantly different, but there was no significance between two groups. Regarding secondary outcomes, EM and TIM also showed significant difference compared to the usual care, but there was no significance between two groups. Regarding safety assessment, while usual care showed significant safety among three groups, EM showed seven treatment-related AEs by four participants compared TIM’s 10 events by 10 participants. In addition, there was no blister caused by burns in the EM, which occurred four cases in the TIM. ConclusionThis study shows that EM is effective to improve the pain and function by KOA with a certain level of safety.

Ginger-partitioned moxibustion in the prevention of nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy in lung cancer：a randomized controlled trial

To observe the effect of ginger-partitioned moxibustion intervention on gastrointestinal reaction, the quality of life, the counts of blood platelet (PLT) and white blood cells (WBC) after chemotherapy in lung cancer patients. The lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy were randomized into observation group (30 cases) and control group (30 cases). In the control group, the intravenous injection with Tropisetron(5 mg) was given 1 h before chemotherapy. In the observation group, in addition to the same treatment as the control group, 2 hours after chemotherapy, ginger-partitioned moxibustion was applied to bilateral Zusanli (ST36), bilateral Neiguan (PC6) and bilateral Tianshu (ST25) for 20 min each time. The treatments were conducted once daily for 3 days. Separately, 2 days before chemotherapy, 24 h and 7 days after chemotherapy, the gastrointestinal reaction score and the score of the quality of life, the PLT and WBC counts were observed in the two groups. The effective rate of the gastrointestinal reaction degree in the observation group were higher than those in the control group 24 h and 7 days after chemotherapy (P<0.05). Twenty-four hours after chemotherapy, the score of the quality of life, the PLT and WBC counts were lower as compared with those before the treatment in both groups respectively(P<0.05). Seven days after chemotherapy, the score of the quality of life, the PLT and WBC counts in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The ginger-partitioned moxibustion achieves the definite clinical effect of the prevention of nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy in lung cancer. This therapy is simple in operation, high in safety, absent in obvious adverse reactions and high in patient's compliance.

Efficacy and safety of moxibustion for patients with functional constipation: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

Introduction:The objective of this review is to assess the efficacy and safety of moxibustion for treating patients with functional constipation (FC).Methods and analysis:We will electronically search the following databases: OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane library, CINAHL, AMED, China Network Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan-fang Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, and other resources from inception to October 2019, without any language restrictions. Randomised-controlled trials will be included. The primary outcome is the improvement in mean complete spontaneous bowel movements and stool form (utilize the Bristol Stool Form Scale [BSFS]). Secondary outcomes involve the degree of difficulty in defecation, proportion of responders, mean transit time, health-related quality of life, and adverse events rate. The methodological quality will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.Results:This work will summarize clinical evidence to assess the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion treatment for FC patients.Conclusion:This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide current evidence of the efficacy and safety of moxibustion treating FC.Systematic review registration:PROSPERO, CRD42020157955.

Effect Of Moxibustion On Knee Joint Stiffness Characteristics In Recreational Athletes Pre And Post Fatigue

Stiffness is the coupling of nervous system and joint mechanics, and thus the comprehensive representative of joint stability. It has been reported that moxibustion can improve weakness and alleviate fatigue symptoms. PURPOSE: To investigate whether moxibustion could enhance knee joint stiffness characteristics in recreational athletes pre and post fatigue. METHODS: Twenty-four participants were partially randomized into intervention (9 males: 20.2 ± 1.5 yr; 6 females: 20.7 ± 1.2 yr) and control group (5 males: 19.4 ± 0.9 yr; 4 females: 20.5 ± 0.6 yr). Intervention group: Acupoints ST36 (bilateral) and CV4 for indirect moxibustion 30 min every other day for 4 consecutive weeks; control group: no moxibustion intervention. Peak torque (PT) of right knee extensors, relaxed and contracted muscle stiffness (MS) of vastus lateralis, knee extensors musculoarticular stiffness (MAS) were assessed by isokinetic dynamometer IsoMed 2000, Myometer and free oscillation technique respectively, at three time points: pre-intervention (time-point 1), post-intervention (time-point 2), and after a treadmill fatigue protocol (time-point 3). RESULTS: Two-way repeated measures ANOVA found a significant interaction between time and group in MAS (p = 0.001) and normalized PT (p = 0.004). Post-hoc tests with the Bonferroni-adjusted α were conducted and identified that MAS in intervention group (time-point 1: 521.8±201.3 N/m, time-point 2: 637.7±181.2 N/m) increased more from pre to post intervention when compared to the control group (time-point 1: 615.4±196.6 N/m, time-point 2: 597.1±190.4 N/m) (p = 0.022). There was a tendency that after fatigue MAS increased more in intervention group (time-point 2: 637.7±181.2 N/m, time-point 3: 712.1±156.9 N/m) than in control group (time-point 2: 597.1±190.4 N/m, time-point 3: 629.8±172.7 N/m) (p = 0.202); and the tendency that normalized PT (PT/body mass) increased in intervention group (time-point 2: 1.49 ± 0.20 Nm/kg, time-point 3: 1.53 ± 0.17 Nm/kg) whilst it decreased in control group (time-point 2: 1.41 ± 0.21 Nm/kg, time-point 3: 1.34 ± 0.21 Nm/kg) (p = 0.033). CONCLUSION: Moxibustion enhanced the knee MAS, may benefit the ability of fatigue resistance in young recreational athletes, and thus could be utilized in injury prevention. Supported by Jiangsu Education Department

Therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion plus medicine in the treatment of infertility due to polycystic ovary syndrome and its effect on serum immune inflammatory factors

To explore the effects and related mechanism of heat-sensitive moxibustion plus Clomifene citrate capsules for infertility due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A total of 70 patients were randomized into a control group and an observation group by the random number table method, with 35 cases in each group. The control group was treated with clomifene citrate capsules, while the observation group was treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion on the basis of the medications in the control group. The treatment course lasted for 6 menstrual cycles. The endometrial thickness and ovarian volume of the patients were measured before and after treatment. The levels of serum sex hormones, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were detected. Follow-up was performed for 1 year after treatment, and the pregnancy rate was recorded. After treatment, the endometrium of the patients in both groups was significantly thickened, the ovarian volume was significantly reduced, and the intra-group differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The endometrium thickness and ovarian volume in the observation group were significantly different from those in the control group (both P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of serum testostrn (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in both groups decreased significantly, the level of estradiol (E2) increased obviously, and the intra-group differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The levels of serum T and LH in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the E2 level in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, and the between-group differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of serum TNF-α and NF-κB of the patients in both groups decreased, and the intra-group differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The levels of serum TNF-α and NF-κB in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (both P<0.05). After 1-year follow-up, the pregnancy rate was 20.0% in the control group, versus 51.5% in the observation group. The pregnancy rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion plus clomifene citrate capsules can increase the endometrium thickness, reduce the ovarian volume, improve the status of serum sex hormone disorders, and increase the conception rate in patients with infertility due to PCOS, which may be related to the adjustment of the levels of immune inflammatory factors such as serum TNF-α and NF-κB.

Effect of Laser Moxibustion for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Multisite, Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

To examine the effects of laser moxibustion on pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). A double-blind randomized clinical trial (4-week treatment, 20-week follow-up) was conducted. A total of 392 symptomatic knee OA patients with moderate to severe clinically significant knee pain were randomly assigned to laser treatment or sham laser control group (1:1). Twelve sessions of laser moxibustion or sham laser treatments on the acupuncture points at the affected knee(s) were performed 3 times a week for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measurement was change in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain score from baseline to Week 4. Among the 392 randomized participants, 364 (92.86%) completed the trial. The median WOMAC pain score decreased significantly at Week 4 in the active group than in the sham group (2.1, 95% CI 1.6-2.6, P < 0.01). At Week 24, compared to the sham laser, active laser treatment resulted in significant pain reduction and function improvement (3.0, 95% CI 2.5-3.6, P < 0.01, and 14.8, 95% CI 11.9-17.6, P < 0.01, respectively). The physical component of the quality of life significantly improved in the active group vs the sham controls at Week 4 (3.2, 95% CI 1.3-5.0, P = 0.001) up to Week 24 (5.1, 95% CI 3.3-7.0, P < 0.001). No serious adverse effects were reported. Laser moxibustion resulted in statistically and clinically significant pain reduction and function improvement following a 4-week treatment in patients with knee OA.

Effect of moxibustion on IL-6/STAT3 signaling in frontal cortex of fatigue rats

To observe the effect of moxibustion on interleukin-6(IL-6)/signal transduction and transcriptional activator 3(STAT3) signaling pathway in the frontal cortex of fatigue rats, so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying alleviation of fatigue. Twenty-one male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, model, and moxibustion groups (n＝7 rats in each group). The fatigue model was established by forcing the rats to have an exhausted swim under load condition, once daily for 21 days. Moxibustion was applied to bilateral "Zusanli"(ST36) for about 15 min, once every other day for 21 days. The level of IL-6 in the frontal cortex was detected by ELISA, and the expression of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), phosphorylated JAK2 (p-JAK2), signal transduction and transcriptional activator 3(STAT3) and phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) proteins in the frontal cortex was detected by Western blot. After modeling, the levels of IL-6 content and p-STAT3 protein expression and ratio of p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly increased in the model group relevant to the normal control group (P<0.01). Follo-wing moxibustion, the duration of load swimming on the 21st day was significantly prolonged (P<0.01), content of IL-6 and levels of p-STAT3 protein expression and ratio of p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly down-regulated in the moxibustion group compared with the model group (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the model and control, and between moxibustion and model groups in the expression levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3 and p-JAK2/JAK2 (P>0.05). Moxibustion intervention can relieve fatigue in fatigue rats, which is associated with its function in inhibiting IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway to reduce inflammatory injury.