This study was performed to compare the effectiveness of acupotomy based on the meridian-sinew theory with acupotomy based on the anatomical theory in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A total of 124 patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomized into the meridian-sinew (MS) group (63 patients) and anatomy group (61 patients). In the MS group, acupotomy based on the meridian-sinew theory was performed. In the anatomy group, acupotomy based on anatomy was applied. Patients were subgrouped by TCM Constitutions. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to evaluate treatment effectiveness. The results showed that VAS (F = 22.61, p < 0.01 ) and WOMAC (F = 24.84, p < 0.01 ) scores declined with time, and there was no significant difference between the two groups nor subgroups (Yang deficiency subgroup, Yin-Yang harmony subgroup, and the subgroup of the others). A total of 5 patients reported 6 cases of the minor adverse effect, and all patients achieved complete recovery without medical intervention. This study indicates that the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy based on the meridian-sinew theory are equivalent to that of acupotomy based on anatomy in KOA treatment.
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a clinical term used to describe a condition in which women present with amenorrhoea, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, and infertility under 40 years old, which are mainly characterized by ovarian granulosa cell inflammation and death. Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory form of programmed cell death. However, the roles of pyroptosis in POF and moxibustion (Mox) on pyroptosis in POF have not been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of moxibustion against cyclophosphamide- (CP-) induced POF and to determine the underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that Mox could decrease the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteotropic hormone (LH) and increase estradiol (E2) in serum, which indicated that it could improve ovarian reserve capacity. Mox also ameliorated CP-induced ovarian injury accompanied by decreased levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-18, and gasdermin D (GSDMD), which are key features of pyroptosis. Further investigation showed that Mox alleviated POF through NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis. On the one hand, Mox directly inhibited TXNIP/NLRP3/caspase-1 signaling-induced pyroptosis, and on the other hand, it indirectly decreased NLRP3, pro-IL-1β, and pro-IL-18 through inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling. Our results show that Mox might be a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of POF.
Binge eating disorder (BED) is a common dietary disorder among obese people. Obesity and eating disorders are related to mental health and physical health. At present, there is no definite and effective method for treatment in clinic. The curative effect of electroacupuncture on obesity is definite. Although there is no conclusive evidence to support its long-term benefits, electroacupuncture has been increasingly used in clinic. This retrospective study determined the prognosis and outcome of electro-acupuncture on obese patients with BED. One hundred forty-three patients with BED and obesity were found from 658 people who participated in the scientific experiment of obesity treatment in Nanjing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Nanjing Brain Hospital from March 2015 to June 2018, and 84 patients (aged 18–40 years old) with valid data and uninterrupted treatment were found to be eligible for this retrospective study. According to the intervention methods, the patients were divided into electro-acupuncture combined with cognitive group (n = 32), cognitive therapy group (n = 28), and control group (n = 24). In this study, the 5th edition of Diagnosis and Statistics Manual of Mental Diseases, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, body fat rate, muscle mass, visceral index grade, nutrient intake (energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate), body weight, and weight changes before and after treatment were observed. Compared with the cognitive therapy group, negative emotion score, TC, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, waist circumference, BW, BMI, body fat percentage of the electroacupuncture combined with cognitive group were lower, while positive emotional scores were higher, and there were significant differences in negative emotional scores, TC, waist circumference and BMI ( P < .05). The dietary energy and three major nutrients in the electroacupuncture combined with cognitive group were lower than those in the cognitive group and the blank group ( P < .05). The current results suggest that electroacupuncture combined with cognitive therapy is more effective than cognitive therapy alone in treating obese patients with BED. Future prospective studies are necessary to further study the mechanism of electroacupuncture on the obese with BED.
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