Objective To observe the effect of medicinal-cake-separated moxibustion combined with acupuncture on back-leg activities and plasma substance P(SP)levels in patients with lumbar disc herniation

so as to reveal its mechanism underlying pain relief.Methods A total of 114 patients with lumbar disc herniation were randomly divided into control group(n=56)and treatment group(n=58)according to a random digits table.Patients of the control group were treated by manual acupuncture stimulation of main acupoints Jiaji(EX-B 2)

Huantiao(GB 30

affected side)

Chengshan(BL 57

affected side)

Kunlun(BL 60

affected side)

and supplemented acupoints Yanglingquan(GB 34)

Weizhong(BL 40)and Zusanli(ST 36)in combination with wheat-flour-cake separated moxibustion at the main acupoints

and patients of the treatment group were treated by medicinal-cake[Chuanwu(Radix Aconiti)

Caowu(Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii)

Ruxiang(Olibanum)

etc.]-separated moxibustion in combination with manual acupuncture stimulation of the same acupoints mentioned above.Acupuncture treatment was conducted for 30 min

followed by moxibustion for 15 min.The treatment was given once daily for 10 days.The patients' back-leg functional activity ability was assessed using straight-leg raising test

and the pain state assessed using visual analogue scale(VAS)and Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)scores

respectively.The therapeutic effect was evaluated by using"Criteria for Diagnosis and Outcome Evaluation of Clinical Disorders or Syndromes of Chinese Medicine"issued in 1994 and plasma SP content was detected by radioimmunoassay.Results After the therapy

the back-leg activity score and JOA score of both groups were significantly higher than those of pre-treatment in the same one group(P<0.05

P<0.01)

and those of the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).The VAS score of the treatment group was remarkably lower than that of the control group(P<0.01).After the treatment

the plasma SP content was markedly lower in the treatment group than in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Medicinal-cake-separated moxibustion therapy can ameliorate pain severity and functional activity of the back-leg pain patients with lumbar disc hernia

which may be related to its effect in reducing blood SP level.