A Study of Skin Thermal Responds of Tonification And Sedation In Moxibustion Using A Mathematical Method

Background: To research the thermomechanical behavior of skin tissue in tonification and sedation of direct moxibustion.Methods: A mathematical method was used to study the thermal responses by skin tissue to tonification and sedation of direct moxibustion. Using a standardized method to measure the temperature of a burning barley (Hordeum vulgare var.) moxa cone, the temperature, burn damage, and thermal stress distributions in the skin tissue were analyzed.Results: According to the ideal skin layers and properties of skin-tissue layers, as well as one measured data, the distribution values of temperature, damage, and stress in the skin tissue with respect to tonification and sedation of direct moxibustion was demonstrated. Conclusion: The thermal responds generated by sedation of direct moxibustion is much larger than those by tonification of direct moxibustion.

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Based Plasma Metabolomics Study of the Effects of Moxibustion with Seed-Sized Moxa Cone on Hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia (HLP) is a disorder with disturbed lipid metabolism. HLP is a major risk factor in cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and coronary heart disease. This study focuses on understanding the effects of moxibustion with a seed-sized moxa cone on HLP and the potential metabolic pathways associated with HLP. An automatic analyzer was used to measure the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in healthy controls (HCs), HLP patients, and in patients before moxibustion with seed-sized moxa cone treatment (BMT) and after moxibustion treatment (AMT). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and pathway analyses were performed using differential plasma metabolites derived from the HC, HLP, BMT, and AMT groups. Higher levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C and lower levels of HDL-C were detected in HLP patients than in HCs. The levels of TC and TG were significantly decreased in the AMT group compared to those of the BMT group. A total of 87 differential metabolites were identified from the HLP vs HC samples and 51 for the AMT vs BMT samples. Of these, 21 terms were shared. The differential metabolites in both the HLP vs HC and AMT vs BMT groups were significantly enriched in the glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism pathways. We suggest that moxibustion with seed-sized moxa cone treatment is effective against hyperlipidemia by altering the levels of TC and TG, which might be regulated by glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism.

Liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry-based plasma metabonomics study on the effects of moxibustion with seed-sized moxa cone on hyperlipidaemia

Hyperlipidaemia (HLP) is a disorder with disturbed lipid metabolism and a major risk factor for various diseases. This study focused on the effect of moxibustion with seed-sized moxa cone on HLP and the relative metabolites and pathways. Levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDC-C) in healthy controls (HC), HLP patients, HLP patients before (BMT) and after (AMT) moxibustion treatment were measured. Using the liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique, we detected the plasma metabolites in the aforementioned groups. Pathway analysis was performed for the differential metabolites. Results revealed significantly high levels of TC, TG and LDC-C and low levels of HDC-C were measured in HLP compared to HC. After moxibustion treatment, the levels of TC and TG significantly decreased. Total 87 and 51 differential metabolites were identified in HLP vs HC and AMT vs BMT, respectively, and 21 were common differential metabolites. The differential metabolites in HLP vs HC and AMT vs BMT both significantly enriched in the pathways of Glycerophospholipid metabolism and Sphingolipid metabolism. In conclusion, moxibustion with seed-sized moxa cone effectively improved HLP, might be by affecting the levels of TC and TG, and the regulating of the Glycerophospholipid metabolismand Sphingolipid metabolism pathways.

Efficacy and safety of ginger-salt-indirect moxibustion for urge urinary incontinence after stroke: protocol for a pilot multicentre randomised controlled trial

IntroductionGinger-salt-indirect moxibustion is widely applied to treat urge urinary incontinence after stroke, which is a common complication in stroke survivors. Moxa cone moxibustion and moxa box moxibustion are the main techniques of ginger-salt-indirect moxibustion. Our previous study had shown that ginger-salt-indirect moxibustion using moxa cones was feasible and effective for urination disorders post-stroke. This pilot study aims to assess the feasibility of conducting research to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ginger-salt-indirect moxibustion for patients with post-stroke urge urinary incontinence.Methods and analysisThis is a multicentre, prospective, single-blinded, pilot randomised controlled trial. 120 eligible patients will be randomly allocated to three groups. Treatment group A (n=40) will receive moxa cone moxibustion and routine care; treatment group B (n=40) will receive moxa box moxibustion and routine care; control group (n=40) will only receive routine care for stroke recovery. The entire moxibustion treatment will consist of a total of 28 sessions during the course of 4 weeks. The primary outcome measure will be the increase in mean volume per void assessed at week 4 from the first moxibustion session (baseline). Secondary outcome measures will include mean frequency of urination per day and quality of life assessments measured by completion of the Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire and Barthel Index. All outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and at 4 and 16 weeks from baseline. Adverse events in the three groups will be recorded to assess the safety of moxibustion.Ethics and disseminationResearch ethics was approved by the Research Ethical Committee of Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to the Capital Medical University (ref: 2013BL-094). Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Study results will be published in peer reviewed journals.Trial registration numberISRCTN 44706974.