衰老相关动物模型的应用进展

随着人口老龄化成为全世界面临的共同问题,衰老的研究也日益成为焦点.衰老模型是在衰老相关研究中必然涉及的问题,目前可选择的衰老模型有多种,如自然衰老模型、D-半乳糖衰老模型、快速衰老小鼠等,涉及多种组织器官的衰老.选择恰当的衰老模型对研究衰老机理、筛选抗衰老确切疗法、选择延缓衰老的特效药物有事半功倍的作用.     

Effect of direct moxibustion on blood pressure and clinical symptoms in elderly patients with essential hypertension

Objective

To assess the effects of direct moxibustion on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and clinical symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in elderly patients with essential hypertension, and to explore the antihypertensive effect and influencing factors of moxibustion.

Methods

A total of 101 elderly hypertension patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to a direct moxibustion I group (n=33), a direct moxibustion II group (n=34), and a control group (n=34). The treatment of calcium antagonist (CCB) or angiotensin II receptor antagonist (ARB) was adopted in the control group. The treatment of direct moxibustion I plus the same medicine as the control group were adopted in the direct moxibustion I group, five cones per acupoint and three times per week, for 5 weeks in total. The treatment of direct moxibustion II plus the same medicine as the control group were adopted in the direct moxibustion II group, five cones per acupoint and three times per week, for 5 weeks in total. The changes of 24-hour ABP and clinical symptoms of TCM after treatment were compared in the three groups.

Results

The mean 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (mean 24 h ASBP), night ASBP, percentage of mean 24-hour ambulatory diastolic blood pressure (mean 24 h ADBP)>90 mmHg, and percentage of day ADBP>90 mmHg in the control group were elevated after treatment (P<0.05). The percentage of night ADBP>80 mmHg in the direct moxibustion I group was reduced by treatment (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the other outcome measures of 24 h ABP, such as day ASBP, percentage of mean 24 h ASBP>140 mmHg, percentage of day ASBP>140 mmHg, percentage of night ASBP>120 mmHg, mean 24 h ADBP, day ADBP, night ADBP, 24 h ambulatory pulse pressure (APP), after treatment in all groups (P>0.05). The degree of improvement of the clinical symptoms of TCM showed significant differences among the three groups of patients (P<0.01). The total effective rate in the direct moxibustion I group was 73.3%, which was superior to those in the direct moxibustion II group and control group (13.3% and 10.0%, respectively).

Conclusion

The direct moxibustion has benign regulative effect on blood pressure of elderly patients with essential hypertension, and improves their clinical symptoms. The direct moxibustion method I (burning the next moxa cone after the previous one had totally burnt out) was superior to method II (burning the next moxa cone when the previous one had not totally burnt out ) in lowering blood pressure and improving symptoms of elderly patients with essential hypertension.

     

Regulatory effects of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on the expressions of IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs in the colon of rats with Crohn’s disease

Objective

To observe the regulatory effects of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on Crohn's disease (CD) rat’s colon inflammatory cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-23 and their mRNAs, and to investigate the action mechanism of moxibustion in treating CD.

Methods

Forty SPF grade Sprague-Dauley (SD) male rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group and a Western medicine group, with 10 rats in each group. Except the normal group, rats in the other three groups were used to make CD model by giving an enema in colon with Trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS). When the models were successful made, rats in the model group had no therapeutic intervention; rats in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group were subjected to herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion treatment at bilateral Tianshu (ST 25) plus Qihai (CV 6); and rats in the Western medicine group were given oral Mesalazine. After treatment, the histopathological changes and inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions were observed in descending colon by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods.

Results

Colon tissues of TNBS enema rat models showed cracks-like ulcers accompanied by mucous layer inflammation, granulomas, and inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions were all higher than those in the normal group (P<0.01); after intervention, colon tissue cracks-like ulcers and inflammation degree reduced, inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions were all significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group and the Western medicine group.

Conclusion

Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion may improve colon tissue ulcers and relieve intestinal inflammation by down-regulation of IL-17, IL-23 and their mRNAs expressions in CD model rats’ colonic mucosa.

     

Effect of electroacupuncture and herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on anxiety and depression in patients with crohn’s disease in remission

Objective

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on anxiety and depression in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) in remission.

Methods

Sixty CD cases were randomly allocated into an EA group (n=30) and an herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group (n=30) using the random number table by the ratio of 1:1. In addition, 30 healthy subjects were included in a control group. Bilateral Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6) and Zhongwan (CV 12) were used in the EA and herbal cakepartitioned moxibustion groups. The treatment was done 3 times a week, for a total of 12 weeks. The efficacy was evaluated using self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scores.

Results

Before treatment, the SAS and SDS scores in CD patients were remarkably higher than those in healthy subjects. After EA or herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion treatment, the SAS and SDS scores were significantly decreased in both groups, showing significant intra-group differences (P<0.05); the symptom scores of abdominal pain (severity, frequency and duration), bowel sounds/flatus and general fatigue were significantly decreased, showing significant intra-group differences (P<0.05); however, there were no between-group statistical differences (P>0.05).

Conclusion

Both EA and herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion can significantly decrease abnormally high SAS and SDS scores in CD patients as well as TCM symptom scores. The two therapies share similar effects in alleviating common symptoms and improving anxiety and depression.

     

Influence of moxa smoke on mitochondrial transmembrane potential and Bax/Bcl-2 in alveolar type II epithelial A549 cells

Objective

To investigate the influence of moxibustion products on mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) and mRNA expression of Bax/Bcl-2 in alveolar type II epithelial A549 cells, and to further explore influence of moxibustion products on the oxidative damage of A549 cells.

Methods

Smoke and particles generated by moxibustion were collected using the filter box for gas sampling. The moxa smoke extract (MSE) was diluted sequentially to the final concentrations of 0.05 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL, 0.2 mg/mL, 0.3 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL using the cell culture medium, and A549 cells were then intervened by the above MSE solution. Cell MTP was detected by JC-1 staining. Fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression of A549 cells.

Results

Compared with cells in the normal control group, MTP was significantly decreased in cells of 0.3 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL MSE intervention groups (P<0.01); while MTP showed no significant changes in cells of 0.05 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL and 0.2 mg/mL MSE intervention groups (P>0.05); compared with cells in 0.05 mg/mL MSE intervention group, MTP was decreased significantly in cells of 0.1 mg/mL, 0.2 mg/mL, 0.3 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL MSE intervention groups (P<0.05 ); compared with cells in 0.1 mg/mL MSE intervention group, MTP was decreased significantly in cells of 0.4 mg/mL MSE intervention group (P<0.01). Bax mRNA expression of cells in each concentration of MSE intervention group all showed no significant difference compared to that in the normal control group; Bcl-2 mRNA expression of cells was reduced with the increase of MSE intervention concentration. Wherein, Bcl-2 mRNA expressions of cells in 0.4 mg/mL and 0.3 mg/mL MSE intervention groups were significantly reduced compared with that of cells in the normal control group (P<0.05); Bcl-2 mRNA expression of cells in 0.4 mg/mL MSE intervention group was significantly reduced compared to that in 0.05 mg/mL MSE intervention group (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Certain higher concentration of moxa smoke could reduce MTP and mRNA expression of the anti-apoptosis gene Bcl-2 in alveolar type II epithelial A549 cells. Oxidative damage may be the important mechanism of apoptosis caused by the high concentration of moxa smoke solution, and further studies are necessary on the specific mechanisms.

     

灸法研究的战略思考

在中医针灸学现代化和国际化进程中,灸法的应用日益受到关注。灸法作用机理研究已成为针灸医学研究领域亟待解决的关键科学问题。该文在总结前期灸法研究成果的基础上,对灸法下一步深入研究进行了思考和展望,认为亟需开展多学科交叉研究,阐明灸法的内源性调节机制,揭示艾灸得气、灸温、灸材等因素的作用特点、规律和机制,明确艾灸热、光、烟与灸效的关系,并确证艾灸与针刺作用的异同,以推动灸法研究新一轮的发展和创新;并展望灸法在“治未病”及防治疾病中的作用与贡献。     

针灸对溃疡性结肠炎大鼠肠黏膜形态学及GH IGF-Ⅰ表达的影响

目的探讨针灸大肠下合穴上巨虚对溃疡性结肠炎(UC)大鼠肠黏膜形态学及生长激素(GH)、胰岛素样生长因子-Ⅰ(IGF-Ⅰ)表迭的作用.方法采用免疫法加局部刺激制备UC大鼠模型,随机将大鼠分为模型组、隔药灸组、电针组,并与正常大鼠作对照.隔药灸组、电针组选取上巨虚穴分别进行隔药灸、电针治疗,连续治疗14次.治疗结束后采用光、电镜观察肠黏膜形态学变化;应用免疫组化法检测结肠GH、IGF-I蛋白表达.结果UC大鼠结肠先镜观察可见溃疡形成和炎症,电镜观察可见结肠黏膜上皮细胞绒毛脱落短小缺损,胞膜损伤,线粒体肿胀,嵴消失,高尔基体囊泡较少,杯状细胞膜严重受损,胞内没有黏液颗粒;结肠GH、IGF-Ⅰ蛋白表达增高.隔药灸组、电针组经过治疗后,结肠黏膜病理损伤减轻;结肠GH、IGF-Ⅰ蛋白表达降低,趋于正常.结论隔药灸、电针上巨虚穴均能明显改善UC大鼠结肠黏膜病理损伤,保护肠黏膜,促进肠黏膜机械屏障的修复;UC大鼠结肠GH、IGF-Ⅰ表迭增高,隔药灸、电针上巨虚穴均能促进结肠异常增高的GH、IGF-Ⅰ的表迭趋于正常.     

针灸对帕金森病小鼠黑质白细胞介素-17受体A/核因子κB信号通路的影响

目的：观察针灸对帕金森病（PD）小鼠中脑黑质部白细胞介素-17受体A/核因子κB（IL-17RA/NF-κB）信号通路相关分子表达的影响,探讨针刺改善PD症状的可能机制。方法：无特定病原体（SPF）级8周龄雄性C57BL/6小鼠随机分为空白组、模型组、针刺组、针刺艾灸组和雷沙吉兰组。1-甲基-4-苯基-1,2,3,6-四氢吡啶(MPTP)腹腔注射建立PD动物模型,模型组不治疗,仅作抓取固定;针刺组针刺百会、阳陵泉穴;针刺艾灸组在针刺组基础上艾灸关元穴;雷沙吉兰组给予雷沙吉兰溶液灌胃。观测各组小鼠总体转棒评分（ORP）,采用免疫荧光染色技术检测各组小鼠中脑黑质部酪氨酸羟化酶（TH）和α-突触核蛋白表达,采用蛋白质免疫印迹法检测黑质致密部白细胞介素-17（IL-17）受体A及下游分子表达状况。结果：与空白组比较,模型组小鼠ORP评分和TH表达显著降低;与模型组比较,针刺组、针刺艾灸组ORP评分和TH表达量均显著升高（均P<0.05）;与空白组比较,模型组小鼠黑质α-突触核蛋白荧光强度显著增高（P<0.05）;模型组小鼠黑质p-核因子κB抑制剂α（IκBα）表达和p-IκBα/IκBα比值显著上升（P<0.05）。与模型组比较,针刺组、针刺艾灸组与雷沙吉兰组α-突触核蛋白免疫荧光强度明显降低（P<0.05）;针刺艾灸组小鼠黑质IL-17受体A表达显著降低（P<0.05）;针刺组、针刺艾灸组与雷沙吉兰组p-IκBα表达和p-IκBα/IκBα比值显著下调。结论：针刺组和针刺艾灸组均可改善PD模型小鼠转棒活动能力,可保护黑质TH阳性神经元,抑制α-突触核蛋白的表达,其机制可能与调节IL-17受体通路,尤其是IκBα的磷酸化有关。     

针灸治疗非遗忘型轻度认知功能障碍的治疗机制研究进展

非遗忘型轻度认知功能障碍（na-MCI）包括多种认知损害,可由帕金森病、糖尿病、脑卒中等不同疾病原因导致。现就近10年针灸治疗na-MCI的临床和实验研究文献,归纳分析针灸治疗该病的治疗机制研究进展。通过检索国家知识基础设施数据库（CNKI）、中国学术期刊数据库（CSPD）及中文科技期刊数据库（CCD）、PubMed和Embase数据库中的相关文献,最终筛选得出针灸治疗na-MCI的24篇国内外有关机制研究的文献。总结得出针灸通过促进神经功能重构、提高神经可塑性和调控生物活性物质等途径改善认知功能的作用机制,并针对目前研究中的不足之处提出展望,希望更好地为临床针灸治疗na-MCI提供理论依据。     

中医“气”概念探析

"气"是中医学中最基本的也是应用最广泛的一个概念。为了深刻理解和把握中医"气"概念,本文从"气"概念源流,中医学中的"气"概念,如何理解中医学的"气"概念,临证时怎样把握"气"及其变化四个方面对"气"概念进行探析。