Metabolism modulation in rat tissues in response to point specificity of electroacupuncture

Zusanli (ST36) and Neiguan (PC6) are acupoints along two meridians. To demonstrate point specificity, we investigated the effects of ST36 and PC6 in electroacupuncture (EA)-treated rats. The rats were subjected to sham acupuncture at ST36 without electric stimulation, EA at ST36, or EA at PC6. Heart and stomach tissues were collected for metabolite profiling. Each type of stimulation resulted in a different metabolite composition in the rat heart and stomach tissues. In the heart tissues, EA at ST36 affected a wider range of metabolite pathways than did EA at PC6, whereas similar numbers of metabolites in the stomach tissues were affected by EA at ST36 and PC6. The pathways affected by EA at ST36 differed from those affected by EA at PC6, and a group of common metabolites were reversely regulated by these two acupoints. This study demonstrated point specificity effectively modulated metabolism in rat heart and stomach tissues. The results indicate that heart stimulation may be connected to the stomach through the pericardium meridian (as described in traditional Chinese medicine), explaining why acupuncture applied to the stomach meridian can be an alternative treatment for gastric and heart diseases.

Studies on Location of Acupoints with X-ray Fluorescence Analysis Based on Synchrotron Radiation

Acupuncture and moxibustion are commonly accepted treatments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). One of the important issues of interest is determining the accurate location of acupoints in acupuncture. Modern high-technology methods were utilized to verify the accuracy of acupoint positions in TCM, reducing the uncertainty of manually locating the positions. The acupoint location was established according to the richness of trace elements (TEs). The relative content of TEs was perceived by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The distribution of TEs was determined after the dates were calibrated and the processes were optimized. The relative content of TEs was significantly different in acupoint and non-acupoint areas. There was an uneven distribution of calcium, iron, copper, and zinc in the sample. The relative content of these elements was increased in the acupuncture areas, and the standard deviation was also relatively large, especially for calcium, showing obvious enrichment. According to the enriched area of the TEs, the distance was about 6 mm between the conception channel and the kidney meridian, and the distance to the stomach meridian was about 23 mm for the rabbit sample. The position of the acupoints and spacing of meridians, which were determined according to the enrichment of TEs, were consistent with the TCM theory. The results show that synchrotron radiation-based XRF is a suitable method for determining the location of acupoints.

Mechanism of “Five Meridians Acupuncture” in Treating Postoperative Urinary Retention after Anorectal Diseases

In recent years, with the change of rhythm and eating habits of the public, the number of patients with anorectal diseases has gradually increased, and postoperative urinary retention has also become more common. Urinary retention refers to the symptoms of anorectal diseases and is caused by improper urination and incompletion of urination due to surgical and pain causes that result in bladder and urine filling and are accompanied by lower abdominal distention and pain. In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is simple and effective as a treatment. In this article, we focus on five meridians that pass through the lower abdomen Ren meridian, kidney meridian, spleen meridian, stomach meridian, and liver meridian, namely the “five meridians,” and study the mechanism of action so as to provide new therapeutic ideas for clinical acupuncture treatment of postoperative urinary retention of anorectal diseases.

A Data Mining-Based Analysis of Core Herbs on Different Patterns (Zheng) of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective. To explore the role of Chinese prescriptions in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and provide references for the application of herbs and prescriptions. Methods. Randomized and quasirandomized controlled clinical trials on Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of NSCLC were collected from seven databases to establish a database of prescriptions on NSCLC. Data-mining analyses were performed by RStudio (v4.0.3) software. Results. A total of 970 prescriptions were obtained from 945 included studies, involving 7 syndromes and 428 herbs. The main patterns of NSCLC included qi deficiency pattern, yin deficiency pattern, blood deficiency pattern, kidney deficiency pattern, heat toxin pattern, phlegm-dampness pattern, and blood stasis pattern. High-frequency herbs on NSCLC were Astragali Radix (Huangqi), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizome (Baizhu), Glycyrrhizae Radix Rhizome (Gancao), Poria (Fuling), Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Hedyotidis Diffusae Herba (Baihuasheshecao), Codonopsis Radix (Dangshen), and Glehniae Radix (Beishashen). The properties of the herbs were mainly cold, warm, and mild. The flavors of the herbs were mainly sweet, bitter, and pungent. The main meridian tropisms were Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin, and Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming. Conclusion. Applying clearing and tonifying method by targeting the lung and spleen was the most frequently used therapy in the treatment of NSCLC. This study offered a glimpse of unique views of traditional Chinese medicine on NSCLC and may benefit the treatment of NSCLC.

Prescription rules of Qingzhu Fu, Ziming Chen, and Qian Wu for threatened miscarriage based on traditional Chinese medicine inheritance auxiliary platform

Background: To explore the prescription rules of famous ancient physicians in the treatment of threatened miscarriage. Methods: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescriptions for threatened miscarriage were screened out of Fu Ren Da Quan Liang Fang by Ziming Chen, Yi Zong Jin Jian by Qian Wu, and Fu Qing Zhu Nv Ke by Qingzhu Fu. Data were standardized and analyzed through the TCM inheritance auxiliary platform. Results: A total of 29 prescriptions for threatened miscarriage were screened. Dang Gui, E Jiao, Gan Cao, Chuan Xiong, Bai Shao were the top five frequently prescribed Chinese herbs. The common herb–herb combinations used by Ziming Chen contained E Jiao, Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, Ai Ye, Cong Bai, and Sang Ji Sheng. Ren Shen, Gan Cao, and Bai Zhu were the common herbal groups used by Qingzhu Fu. Huang Qi, Shu Di Huang, Bai Shao, Dang Gui, and Gan Cao were one of Qian Wu’s core prescriptions, with Dang Gui and Chuan Xiong being the others. According to the analysis of four Qi, five flavors, and meridian tropism of the prescriptions, herbs with the warm nature, or with the sweet, pungent, bitter flavors topped the list of application. The top six meridian tropisms of high-frequency herbs were: liver, spleen, lung, kidney, heart, and stomach meridian. Conclusion: Based on the principle of restoring the balance within the organs and enriching Qi and blood, clinical treatment of threatened miscarriage involves invigorating the Chong and Ren channels, nourishing Yin, dispelling cold and wind, generating and activating blood, regulating and harmonizing Qi.

Data Mining-Based Analysis of Chinese Medicinal Herb Formulae in Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment

Background. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been used to treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Asia. Its effectiveness and safety for CKD treatment have been confirmed in documented studies. However, the prescription rule of formulae for Chinese medicinal herbs is complicated and remains uncharacterized. Thus, we used data mining technology to evaluate the treatment principle and coprescription pattern of these formulae in CKD TCM treatment. Methods. Data on patients with CKD were obtained from the outpatient system of a TCM hospital. We established a Chinese herb knowledge base based on the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and the Chinese Materia Medica. Then, following extraction of prescription information, we deweighted and standardized each prescribed herb according to the knowledge base to establish a database of CKD treatment formulae. We analyzed the frequency with which individual herbs were prescribed, as well as their properties, tastes, meridian tropisms, and categories. Then, we evaluated coprescription patterns and assessed medication rules by performing association rule learning, cluster analysis, and complex network analysis. Results. We retrospectively analyzed 299 prescriptions of 166 patients with CKD receiving TCM treatment. The most frequently prescribed core herbs for CKD treatment were Rhizoma Dioscoreae (Shanyao), Spreading Hedyotis Herb (Baihuasheshecao), Root of Snow of June (Baimagu), Radix Astragali (Huangqi), Poria (Fulin), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Baizhu), Radix Pseudostellariae (Taizishen), and Fructus Corni (Shanzhuyu). The TCM properties of the herbs were mainly being warm, mild, and cold. The tastes of the herbs were mainly sweet, followed by bitter. The main meridian tropisms were Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin, Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyi, Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming, and Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin. The top three categories were deficiency-tonifying, heat-clearing, and dampness-draining diuretic. Conclusion. Using an integrated analysis method, we confirmed that the primary TCM pathogeneses of kidney disease were deficiency and dampness-heat. The primary treatment principles were tonifying deficiency and eliminating dampness-heat.

Effect of Moxibustion on Intestinal Microbiome in Acute Gastric Ulcer Rats

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), moxibustion had been used for thousands of years. Many clinical case reports and scientific studies had proved that moxibustion had a good effect in treating acute gastric ulcer (AGU). Some studies had shown that the relative content and species of bacteria in the intestinal would be changed when gastric mucosal injury happened. However, there was little research on the effect of intestinal microbiome with AGU rats that were treating by moxibustion. This study is aimed at analyzing the effect of fecal microbiome in rats with AGU by the 16S rDNA sequencing technology. Male SD rats were established by orally feeding once with 70% ethanol at 4 ml/kg except the control group, then treated by moxibustion in the stomach meridian group (“Liangmen,” “Zusanli”) and the gallbladder meridian group (“Riyue,” “Yanglingquan”) for 5 days. The 16S rDNA sequencing technology analysis of feces combined with histopathological methods and molecular biological detection methods was used to evaluate the therapeutic mechanism of moxibustion on AGU. AGU brought cause changes in the number and species of intestinal bacteria. Moxibustion on stomach meridian group could reduce the area of gastric mucosal injury and regulate the relative content of GAS and EGF. Moreover, moxibustion on the stomach meridian group could increase the relative content and species of beneficial bacteria in the intestine of rats with AGU. The relative abundance of intestinal probiotics was significantly upregulated in Alphaproteobacteria, Actinomycetales, and Bacillales. In addition, moxibustion might promote the repair of gastric mucosal injury by increasing the number and species of beneficial bacteria in the intestine.

Metabolic Response in Rats following Electroacupuncture or Moxibustion Stimulation

Electroacupuncture and moxibustion are traditional Chinese medicine practices that exert therapeutic effects through stimulation of specific meridian acupoints. However, the biological basis of the therapies has been difficult to establish; thus the current practices still rely on ancient TCM references. Here, we used a rat model to study perturbations in cortex, liver, and stomach metabolome and plasma hormones following electroacupuncture or moxibustion treatment on either stomach meridian or gallbladder meridian acupoints. All treatment groups, regardless of meridian and mode of treatment, showed perturbation in cortex metabolome and increased phenylalanine, tyrosine, and branched-chain amino acids in liver. In addition, electroacupuncture was found to increase ATP in cortex, creatine, and dimethylglycine in stomach and GABA in liver. On the other hand, moxibustion increased plasma enkephalin concentration, as well as betaine and fumarate concentrations in stomach. Furthermore, we had observed meridian-specific changes including increased N-acetyl-aspartate in liver and 3-hydroxybutyrate in stomach for gallbladder meridian stimulation and increased noradrenaline concentration in blood plasma following stimulation on stomach meridian. In summary, the current findings may provide insight into the metabolic basis of electroacupuncture and moxibustion, which may contribute towards new application of acupoint stimulation.