最新刊期
卷 51 ， 期 6 ， 2026
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the role of tyrosine hydroxylase （TH）-positive neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius （NTS） and locus coeruleus （LC） in electroacupuncture （EA）-mediated improvement of blood-brain barrier （BBB） damage in APP/PS1 mice， so as to explore the mechanism of the NTSTH-LC neural circuit underlying the effect of EA on prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease （AD）.Methods（1） Eight 4-month-old male C57BL/6 mice served as the control group， and 16 age-matched male APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into the model and EA groups （n=8）. The EA group received EA stimulation at “Neiguan” （PC6） and “Jianshi” （PC5） once every other day for 4 weeks. After intervention， Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests were used to evaluate learning and memory abilities. Western blot was performed to detect the expression levels of hippocampal tight junction proteins， including Occludin， Claudin-5， and zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the co-localization of TH/c-Fos in NTS and LC， as well as TH/norepinephrine （NE） co-localization in LC. （2） Five TH-cre mice received retrograde tracing virus injection into LC to observe whether TH-positive neurons in NTS project to LC. （3） Twenty-one 7-month-old APP/PS1 mice were injected with chemogenetic activation virus （AAV2/9-hSyn-DIO-hM3D-mCherry-WPRE-hGH-pA） or empty virus （AAV2/9-Ef1α - DIO-mCherry-WPRE-hGH-pA） into the NTS， and AAVretro-TH-CRE-WPRE-hGH-pA virus into the LC. After 21 d of virus expression， 6 mice injected with empty virus were taken as mCherry+CNO+EA group； 3 mice from the activation virus group were randomly selected for brain slice patch-clamp to verify virus functionality. The remaining mice were randomly divided into 2 groups （n=6）： hM3D+CNO+EA， and hM3D+saline+EA groups. EA was applied to PC6 and PC5 once daily for 15 d. After intervention， learning and memory abilities were evaluated by Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests. BBB permeability was detected by Evans blue （EB） staining. Immunofluorescence was used to measure TH/c-Fos and TH/NE co-localization in the LC.Results（1） Compared with the control group， the model group showed significantly impaired learning and memory abilities （P<0.01）， decreased expressions of hippocampal Occludin， Claudin-5， and ZO-1 （P<0.01）， and increased TH/c-Fos co-localization （c-Fos expression in TH-positive neurons） in NTS and LC， as well as TH/NE co-localization in LC （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the EA group exhibited improved learning and memory abilities （P<0.05，P<0.01）， increased expressions of hippocampal tight junction proteins （P<0.01）， and reduced TH/c-Fos and TH/NE co-localization （P<0.01，P<0.05）. （2） Retrograde tracing confirmed that TH-positive neurons in NTS project to LC. （3） Compared with the mCherry+CNO+EA group and hM3D+saline+EA group， the hM3D+CNO+EA group showed significantly impaired learning and memory （P<0.01）， increased EB content in brain tissue， and elevated TH/c-Fos and TH/NE co-localization in the LC （P<0.01）.ConclusionEA at PC6 and PC5 can ameliorate BBB damage and learning/memory deficits in AD mice， and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activation of the NTSTH-LC neural circuit.关键词：Alzheimer’s disease;Electroacupuncture;Nucleus tractus solitarius;Locus coeruleus;Tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neuron;Norepinephrine;Blood-brain barrier87|218|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which electroacupuncture （EA） at “Zusanli” （ST36） ameliorates the impairment of feeding behavior and gastric vagal afferent signaling induced by short-term high-fat diet （HFD） exposure.MethodsThe study comprised two parts. In part 1， 42 SPF male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal diet （ND） group （n=14） and an HFD group （n=28）. After 4 weeks， HFD-fed mice were subdivided into an HFD group and an EA group （n=14 each）. The EA group received EA at bilateral “Zusanli” （ST36）. Stimulation parameters were： 2 mA， 2 Hz/15 Hz， 20 min/session， once daily， 6 sessions/week for 2 consecutive weeks. Body weight was recorded weekly. After the intervention， 24 h food intake was measured. Liver wet weight， inguinal white adipose tissue （iWAT） wet weight， and epididymal white adipose tissue （eWAT） wet weight were recorded. Gastric emptying rate was assessed using the phenol red meal test. Serum cholecystokinin （CCK） content was measured by ELISA. Protein expressions of protein gene product 9.5 （PGP9.5） and calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP） in the gastric antrum were evaluated by Western blot. The co-expression density index of PGP9.5 and CGRP in the gastric antrum and c-Fos expression levels in the nodose ganglion （NG） were detected by immunofluorescence staining. In part 2， another 32 SPF male C57BL/6J mice were fed an HFD for 4 weeks and then randomly divided into 4 groups （n=8 each）： sham operation group， sham + EA group， vagotomy （resection of the gastric vagal branches） group， and vagotomy + EA group. The acupoint and intervention parameters were the same as above. Body weight， 24 h food intake， liver wet weight， iWAT wet weight， eWAT wet weight， the co-expression of PGP9.5 and CGRP in the gastric antrum， and the number of c-Fos positive neurons in the NG were measured.ResultsCompared to the ND group， 4-week HFD feeding increased body weight， liver wet weight， and adipose tissue （iWAT and eWAT） wet weights， while decreased gastric emptying rate and serum CCK levels（P<0.05）. The relative protein expressions of both PGP9.5 and CGRP in the gastric antrum were down-regulated（P<0.05）. Meanwhile， the co-expression density index of PGP9.5 and CGRP in the gastric antrum was reduced（P<0.05）. The number of c-Fos positive neurons in the NG decreased in HFD-fed mice（P<0.05）. Compared to the HFD group， EA treatment reduced body weight， 24 h food intake， liver wet weight， and adipose tissue （iWAT and eWAT） wet weights（P<0.05）. EA also increased gastric emptying rate and serum CCK levels（P<0.05）. Moreover， EA up-regulated the relative protein expressions of PGP9.5 and CGRP as well as their co-expression density index in the gastric antrum（P<0.05）. Finally， EA increased the number of c-Fos positive neurons in the NG（P<0.05）. In the vagotomy experiment，compared with the sham operation group， the sham + EA group showed a significant decrease in body weight， food intake， liver wet weight， adipose tissue wet weight （P<0.05）. After gastric branch vagotomy， however， the regulatory effects of EA on body weight， food intake， liver wet weight， and other indicators were weakened. Similarly， after surgery EA did not exert a significant modulatory effect on the co-expression level of PGP9.5 and CGRP in the gastric antrum or on the expression of c-Fos-positive neurons in the NG.ConclusionShort-term HFD leads to desensitization of gastric vagal afferent signaling， manifested as impairment of local gastric vagal sensory nerves and a decrease in the number of activated neurons in the NG. EA can suppress food intake by repairing gastric vagal afferent signaling.关键词：Electroacupuncture;High-fat diet;Food intake;Gastric vagal afferent;Zusanli （ST36）58|112|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture （EA） at sensitized “Sanyinjiao” （SP6） in improving primary dysmenorrhea （PDM）， with a focus on the role of Piezo1 protein in EA effects.MethodsSixty female rats were randomly divided into a blank group （n=10） and a model establishment group （n=50）. Mechanical pain thresholds at the left SP6 acupoint were measured using a von Frey electronic algometer. According to the change rate of mechanical pain threshold， the model establishment group was further divided into model high-sensitization group， model low-sensitization group， EA high-sensitization group， and EA low-sensitization group （n=10 each）. The PDM rat model was established by combined injection of estradiol benzoate and oxytocin. The two EA groups received EA at SP6 （50 Hz， dense wave， 20 min/d） for 5 consecutive days.Writhing responses were recorded to evaluate abdominal pain severity； uterine blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging； uterine histopathology was examined by HE staining； mast cell degranulation rate at the SP6 region was detected by toluidine blue staining； ultrastructural changes of uterine tissue were observed by transmission electron microscopy； levels of prostaglandin E2 （PGE2）， prostaglandin F2α （PGF2α） in serum and uterine homogenate， and serum tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were measured by ELISA； protein expressions of Piezo1， calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP）， and Tryptase in the SP6 region， as well as Piezo1 in the uterus， were detected by Western blot； immunofluorescence was used to detect CGRP and Tryptase expressions at SP6； RT-qPCR was performed to measure mRNA expressions of Piezo1 and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） in the uterus.ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model high-sensitization and model low-sensitization groups showed increased writhing times，writhing scores and writhing latencies （P<0.01）， decreased uterine blood perfusion （P<0.01）， elevated uterine pathological scores （P<0.01）， and increased mast cell degranulation rate （P<0.01）. Serum and uterine PGF2α contents， serum TNF-α content and PGF2α/PGE2 ratio were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while serum and uterine PGE2 contents were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Protein expressions of Piezo1， CGRP， Tryptase， and positive expressions of CGRP and Tryptase at the acupoint， mRNA and protein expressions of Piezo1， and COX-2 mRNA in the uterus were up-regulated （P<0.01）， accompanied by ultrastructural damage in uterine tissue. Compared with the corresponding model groups， the writhing latencies were increased further， and the other indicators mentioned above were significantly reversed in the two EA groups （P<0.01， P<0.05）. Moreover， the EA high-sensitization group exhibited more obvious improvements than the EA low-sensitization group （P<0.01）.ConclusionEA at SP6 with different sensitization states effectively alleviates pain in PDM rats， with a better effect in the high-sensitization state. The mechanism is dependent on acupoint sensitization， which may involve regulating Piezo1 expression at the acupoint， inhibiting mast cell degranulation and neurogenic inflammation， and down-regulating the Piezo1/COX-2/PGs pathway in the uterus to reduce inflammatory factor release， thereby producing analgesic effects.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Primary dysmenorrhea;Acupoint sensitization;Sanyinjiao （SP6）;Piezo156|136|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture （EA） at “Zusanli” （ST36） in combination with omeprazole in treating gastrointestinal injury induced by indomethacin in mice.MethodsThirty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control， model， omeprazole， EA combined with omeprazole （combination）， and combination + nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） inhibitor （inhibitor） groups， with 6 mice in each group. The gastrointestinal injury mouse model was established by intragastric administration of indomethacin （30 mg/kg）. EA was applied to bilateral ST36 for 20 min， a total of 2 times. The omeprazole （10 mg/kg） was given by gavage. Mice in the inhibitor group were intraperitoneally injected with the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 （30 mg/kg）. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the gastrointestinal mucosa. The contents of glutathione （GSH）， malondialdehyde （MDA） and the activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD） in gastric tissue and the activities of SOD and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in colon tissue were detected by colorimetric method. The level of reactive oxygen species （ROS） in colon tissue was detected by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2/heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1） signaling pathway-related factors Kelch-like epichlorohydrin-related protein factor 1 （Keap1）， Nrf2， HO-1 and NADPH oxidase 1 （NOX1） in colon tissue were detected by qPCR and Western blot， respectively.ResultsAfter modeling and compared with the normal control group， the mice of model group showed severe gastrointestinal mucosal damage， with decreased GSH content and SOD activity in gastric tissue （P<0.01）， increased MDA content （P<0.01）， elevated ROS levels， and increased Keap1 and NOX1 mRNA and protein expressions in colon tissue （P<0.01）， reduced SOD and GSH-Px activities （P<0.01， P<0.05）， decreased Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNA and protein levels in colon tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the gastric mucosal injury was improved， the content of GSH and the activity of SOD in the gastric tissue were increased （P<0.01， P<0.05）， while the content of MDA was decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01） in both omeprazole and combination groups. In comparison with the model and the omeprazole groups， the combination group showed improved colonic mucosal injury， decreased ROS level （P<0.01）， increased SOD and GSH-Px activities （P<0.05）， up-regulated mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 （P<0.01）， and down-regulated mRNA and protein expressions of Keap1 and NOX1 （P<0.01， P<0.05） in colon tissue. However， the improvement of gastrointestinal oxidative stress of combination treatment was reversed after the injection of Nrf2 inhibitor in the inhibitor group （P<0.01， P<0.05）.ConclusionThe integration of acupuncture and medication can effectively ameliorate indomethacin-induced gastrointestinal oxidative stress injury， which may be related to its function in activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.关键词：Colonic injury;Integration of acupuncture and medication;Oxidative stress;Nrf2/HO-1 pathway35|15|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of electroacupuncture on mice with acute gastric mucosal injury （AGMI） by regulating macrophage polarization through the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine synthase （cGAS）-stimulator of interferon genes （STING） signaling pathway.MethodsThirty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， and electroacupuncture group. Except for the normal group， the remaining mice were intragastrically administered with absolute ethanol to establish the AGMI model. Mice in the electroacupuncture group were treated with electroacupuncture at “Zhongwan”（CV12）and “Zusanli”（ST36） for 30 min， once a day for 5 consecutive days. The Guth gastric mucosal injury scoring method was used to evaluate gastric mucosal injury. HE staining and PAS staining were performed to observe the pathological changes of gastric mucosal tissue. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the proportions of M1 and M2 macrophages in gastric mucosal tissue. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， and transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β） in gastric mucosal tissue. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， Occludin， cGAS， STING， phosphorylated STING （p-STING）， phosphorylated interferon regulatory factor 3 （p-IRF3）， phosphorylated TANK-binding kinase 1 （p-TBK1）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， cluster of differentiation 86 （CD86）， arginase-1 （Arg-1）， and cluster of differentiation 206 （CD206）. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the fluorescence intensity of iNOS and CD206 in gastric mucosal tissue.ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed an increased gastric mucosal injury index （P<0.01） ， with epithelial necrosis， glandular disorder， and mucus layer destruction in the gastric mucosa； the number of M1 macrophages increased while M2 macrophages decreased（P<0.01）； the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were increased （P<0.01）， while the mRNA expression levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were decreased （P<0.01）；the protein expression levels of ZO-1 and Occludin were significantly decreased （P<0.01）； the proteins related to the cGAS-STING pathway， as well as iNOS and CD86 were up-regulated （P<0.01）， while Arg-1 and CD206 were down-regulated （P<0.01）in gastric mucosal tissue. Compared with the model group， all the above mentioned indicators in the electroacupuncture group were significantly reversed （P<0.01， P<0.05）， with reduced pathological damage and a relatively intact mucus layer in gastric mucosa.ConclusionElectroacupuncture can alleviate gastric mucosal inflammation and improve AGMI， and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting MI macrophage polarization mediated by the cGAS-STING signaling pathway.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Acute gastric mucosal injury;cGAS-STING signaling pathway;Macrophage polarization;Inflammatory factors59|124|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of acupotomy on the piezoelectric mechanical gating ion channel component 1（Piezo1）/glutathione peroxidase 4（GPX4）/long-chain acyl coenzyme A synthetase 4（ACSL4）signaling axis of knee chondrocytes in knee osteoarthritis（KOA）rabbits，so as to explore its mechanisms underly improvement of KOA.MethodsTwenty-four male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into blank control，KOA model and acupotomy groups，with 8 rabbits in each group. The KOA model was established by immobilizing the left hind limb （with a plaster cast） in an extended position for 6 weeks according to the modified Videman method. For rabbits of the acupotomy group， the needle-knife release technique was applied to the musculotendon lesion points （“Hedingci” “Binwaishang” “Binneishang” “Chengfeijian” “Weiyangci” and “Yinlingci”） of the left knee， once a week for 4 weeks. The degree of the left knee joint dysfunction was assessed by referring to Lequesne MG’s functional disability scale （pain reaction ［0—3 points］， gait ［0—3 points］， joint motion ［0—3 points］ and swelling ［0—2 points］） before and after the intervention. Histopathological changes of the left knee joint cartilage tissue （chondrocytes） were observed after H.E. staining. The mitochondrial structure of the cartilage chondrocytes was observed using transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The mRNA expression levels of Piezo1， GPX4 and ACSL4 in the cartilage tissue were detected by using real-time qPCR. The protein expression levels of Piezo1， GPX4 and ACSL4 in the cartilage tissue were detected by using Western blot.ResultsCompared with the blank control group，the model group showed a significant increase in the Lequesne MG score （P<0.01）， expression levels of Piezo1 and ACSL4 mRNAs and proteins（P<0.01）， and a notable decrease in the expression levels of GPX4 mRNA and protein（P<0.01，P<0.05）.Compared with the model group， the acupotomy group had an evident decrease in the Lequesne MG score（P<0.05），expression levels of Piezo1 and ACSL4 mRNAs and proteins （P<0.01， P<0.05），and an evident increase in the expression levels of GPX4 mRNA and protein（P<0.01， P<0.05）. The results of H.E. staining showed a rough surface of the cartilage of the left knee joint， wrinkled and broken nucleus， being sparse in number， scattered arrangement and with uneven level in the model group. Whereas in the acupotomy group， the cartilage surface of the knee joint was relatively flat，the nucleus was clear and increased in the number and the arrangement was in order，and the level was relatively distinct. The results of TEM showed shrunk and irregular chondrocytes， ruptured cell membrane， multiple dissolved cytoplasm， formation of some vacuoles， round or oval mitochondria with reduction in the number， shortening in the ridge， even disappearance， and dissolved matrix in a large area in the model group. In the acupotomy group， the chondrocytes were relatively regular in shape， with complete membrane and uniform cytoplasm， and the mitochondria were more in the number， with more uniform matrix and more ridges.ConclusionAcupotomy can improve the motor function in KOA rabbits， which may be associated with its functions in inhibiting chondrocyte ferroptosis by regulating Piezo1/GPX4/ACSL4 signaling axis， and relieving cartilage injury.关键词：Knee osteoarthritis;Acupotomy;Ferroptosis;Piezo1/GPX4/ACSL4 signaling axis105|142|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of acupoint injection on olfactory function， olfactory mucosa structure， olfactory mucosa apoptosis and apoptosis-related protein expression in rats with olfactory dysfunction of allergic rhinitis （AR）， so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of AR olfactory dysfunction.MethodsThirty-six SD rats were used in the present study. Nine of them were randomly selected to be used as the normal group，and the rest of the rats were used to prepare the AR olfactory dysfunction model by ovalbumin sensitization. After successful modeling， the AR model rats were allocated to the model， non-meridian non-acupoint injection， and acupoint injection groups， with 9 rats in each group. For rats of the acupoint injection group， an isotonic mixture （0.05 mL/point） of dexamethasone and lidocaine was injected into the bilateral ”Yingxiang” （LI20） once every 3 days， for a total of 4 times. For rats of the non-meridian non-acupoint injection group， the same mixture solution （0.05 mL/point） was injected into the midpoint of the line connecting “Houhai” （GV1） and “Huantiao”（GB30） on both sides. The frequency and course of treatment were the same as those of the acupoint injection group. The rats’ nasal symptoms were observed and scored， the olfactory function was evaluated by buried food pellet test （BFPT）. The histopathological changes and ultrastructure of the olfactory mucosa were observed by H.E. staining and transmission electron microscopy. The contents of serum interleukin （IL） 4， IL-5， IL-13 and IL-17 were detected by ELISA. The expression of olfactory marker protein （OMP） in the olfactory mucosa was detected by immunofluorescence method， and apoptosis of olfactory mucosal cells was detected by TUNEL method. The expression levels of cysteine aspartate protease-3 （Caspase-3）， B lymphoblastoma-2 related gene X protein （Bax）， and B lymphoblastoma-2 gene （Bcl-2） proteins of the nasal mucosa were detected by Western blot.ResultsThe histopathological and ultrastructural observations showed that in the model group， the olfactory mucosal epithelium was severely shed， and the intrinsic layer cells were degenerated and necrotic with inflammatory infiltration； the outer mitochondrial membrane was blurred and broken， and the cristae structure dissolved and disappeared. But compared with the model group， the acupoint injection group had an apparent improvement in the structure of the olfactory mucosa， and a relatively complete and unambiguous structure in the outer mitochondrial membrane and cristae of the inner membrane. Compared with the normal group， the model group had a significant increase in the nasal symptom score， search time for food goblet， apoptosis rate of olfactory mucosal cells， contents of serum IL-4， IL-5， IL-13 and IL-17， and expression of Caspase-3 and Bax proteins in the nasal mucosa （P<0.01）， and a notable decrease in the immunofluorescence density of OMP and expression of Bcl-2 in the olfactory mucosa tissue （P<0.01）. After non-meridian non-acupoint injection and acupoint injection， both the increase and decrease of the indexes mentioned above were all reversed （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Comparison between the two injection groups showed that the effects of the acupoint injection group were significantly superior to those of the non-meridian non-acupoint injection group in all indexes （P<0.01）.ConclusionAcupoint injection can significantly improve olfactory function and olfactory mucosal damage in rats with AR olfactory dysfunction， which may be related to its functions in inhibiting the inflammatory damage and reducing cell apoptosis of the olfactory mucosa.关键词：Acupoint injection;Allergic rhinitis;Olfactory dysfunction;Apoptosis;Apoptosis-related protein45|67|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effects of penetrating needling combined with sling exercise therapy （SET） on lower limb motor function， balance， and spasticity in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia.MethodsPatients with post-stroke hemiplegia were randomly divided into a control group （33 cases， 1 dropout） and a penetrating needling group （33 cases， 1 dropout）. All participants received standard medical treatment， rehabilitation training， and routine acupuncture as baseline therapy. The control group received additional SET， while the penetrating needling group received additional SET combined with penetrating needling therapy. The penetrating needling technique was applied from Ququan （LR8） to Xiyangguan （GB33）， from Yanglingquan （GB34） to Yinlingquan （SP9）， from Fuyang （BL59） to Jiaoxin （KI8）， and from Qiuxu （GB40） to Zhaohai （KI6）. Outcome measures， including the Fugl‑Meyer assessment of lower extremity motor function （FMA-L）， Berg balance scale （BBS）， modified Ashworth scale （MAS）， and gait analysis data （assessed using a force plate system）， were evaluated before and after treatment.ResultsAfter treatment， both groups showed significant improvements： increased FMA-L and BBS scores， decreased MAS scores， reduced postural sway parameters （eyes-open ball length， eyes-open ellipse area， eyes-closed ball length， and eyes-closed ellipse area）， decreased load on the healthy side and medial-lateral load asymmetry， and increased step frequency， step speed， and load on the affected side （all P<0.05）. The penetrating needling group demonstrated superior improvements in all measures compared to the control group （P<0.05）.ConclusionThe combination of penetrating needling and SET helps balance the medial-lateral plantar load distribution between the healthy and affected sides in post-stroke hemiplegic patients， shifts the center of gravity toward the midline， enhances standing stability， improves motor and balance functions， and alleviates spasticity.关键词：Post-stroke hemiplegia;Penetrating needling;Sling exercise therapy;Balance function;Gait analysis62|157|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Wenyang Zhudong （warming yang and assisted with movement） acupuncture-moxibustion therapy for patients with intractable peripheral facial paralysis.MethodsSixty-two patients with intractable peripheral facial paralysis were randomly divided into an observation group （31 cases， with 1 case dropped out） and a control group （31 cases， with 2 cases dropped out）. In the observation group， Wenyang Zhudong acupuncture-moxibustion therapy was used， in which the acupoints included Yangbai （GB14）， Quanliao （SI18）， Tongziliao （GB1）， Yingxiang （LI20）， Dicang （ST4）， Jiache （ST6） and Xiaguan （ST7） on the affected side， and bilateral Shousanli （LI10） and Zusanli （ST36）； and the different techniques were operated， such as point-to-point needling， transverse needling， oblique needling and warming technique. In the control group， the same acupoints were selected， without any manipulation operated. Moxibustion was delivered at bilateral LI10 and ST36 in both groups. The treatment was given once daily， 30 min each session； one course of treatment was composed of 10 sessions and 3 consecutive courses were required with the interval of 1 day. Before and after treatment， the grade of House-Brackmann （H-B） scale， and the scores of the Sunnybrook scale and the facial disability index （FDI）， including physical function （FDIp） and social function （FDIs） were evaluated in the two groups， respectively. The action potential amplitude and latency of compound muscles innervated by the facial nerves were detected， and the facial nerve function was assessed. After treatment， the clinical efficacy was comprehensively evaluated.ResultsAfter treatment， the H-B grades decreased within groups （P<0.05） when compared with those before treatment， and the grades in the observation group was lower than that in the control group （P<0.05）； the Sunnybrook scores and FDIp scores increased within groups （P<0.05） in comparison with those before treatment， and these scores in the observation group were higher than those of the control group （P<0.05）； the FDIs scores were reduced within groups （P<0.05） in comparison with those before treatment， and the FDIs score in the observation group was lower than that of the control group （P<0.05）； the action potential amplitudes of the compound muscles in the regions innervated by the facial nerves such as the temporal branch and zygomatic branch were elevated when compared with those before treatment （P<0.05）， while the latencies were shortened within groups （P<0.05）， and the action potential amplitudes of the compound muscles in the regions innervated by the facial nerves in the observation group were higher than those in the control group （P<0.05）， while the latencies were lower （P<0.05）. The total effective rate in the observation group was 96.67% （29/30） and the curative rate was 60% （18/30）， higher than those of the control group （82.76% ［24/29］ and 20.69% ［6/29］）， respectively （P<0.05）.ConclusionWenyang Zhudong acupuncture-moxibustion therapy is effective on intractable peripheral facial paralysis， it promotes the recovery of facial nerve function and improves the physical and social functions.关键词：Intractable peripheral facial paralysis;Wenyang Zhudong acupuncture-moxibustion therapy;Facial nerve function;Electromyography;Randomized controlled trial67|278|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo evaluate whether combining thumb-tack needle treatment with routine nursing can safely reduce pain after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection （ESD）.MethodsSeventy-eight patients after gastric ESD were randomized into an intervention group （n=39） and a control group （n=39）， with 2 cases drop-off in the intervention group. Patients in the control group received postoperative conventional treatment. Patients in the intervention group received thumb-tack needle therapy at bilateral Zusanli （ST36） and Hegu （LI4） acupoints within 1 h after surgery in addition to conventional treatment， which lasted for 72 h. The primary outcome was the incidence of moderate-to-severe pain （visual analog scale ［VAS］ score ≥4） within 72 h after surgery. The secondary outcomes included pain intensity， analgesic usage rate， anxiety/depression score， numbers of gastrointestinal symptoms， surgery-related complications， and treatment-related adverse events.ResultsThe incidence of moderate-to-severe pain was 21.6% （8/37） in the intervention group， significantly lower （absolute difference： –24.6%； OR： 0.322； 95% CI： 0.118—0.879； P<0.05） than that in the control group （46.2% ［18/39］）. Compared with the control group， the intervention group showed reduced scores in the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire at the 6th， 12th， and 24th hour after surgery （P<0.01）， and the median VAS score decreased by 2—3 points compared to the control group（P<0.01，P<0.001）. No statistical differences were observed between the two groups in analgesic usage rate， anxiety/depression score， numbers of gastrointestinal symptoms or surgery-related complications. Two patients （5.4%） removed the needles prematurely due to psychological reasons， which did not affect clinical outcomes.ConclusionThumb-tack needling therapy can effectively reduce the incidence of moderate-to-severe pain after gastric ESD and improve early postoperative pain symptoms， with a favorable safety profile.关键词：Endoscopic submucosal dissection;Thumb-tack needling therapy;Postoperative pain;Adverse events84|106|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe and evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with estazolam on chronic insomnia， so as to provide an effective intervention protocol for patients with chronic insomnia.MethodsSixty-four patients with chronic insomnia were randomized into a treatment group and a control group， with 32 cases in each group. Patients in the control group received estazolam orally at bedtime every day and for consecutive 4 weeks according to the dosage recommended by experts. In the treatment group， on the basis of the treatment as the control group， acupuncture was delivered once every 2 days， 3 times a week and for consecutive 4 weeks. Before and after treatment， the scores of Pittsburgh sleep quality index inventory （PSQI） and self-anxiety scale （SAS）， the objective sleep indicators （total sleep duration， sleep latency， and sleep efficiency）， and the scores of Wechsler memory scale （WMS-RC） and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptoms were evaluated in two groups. The clinical efficacy was assessed in each group.ResultsThe total effective rate of the treatment group was 87.10%， higher than that of the control group （67.74%，P<0.05）. In the intra-group comparison， compared with before treatment， the score of each item and the total score of PSQI， sleep latency， SAS score and TCM symptom score decreased （P<0.05）； the total sleep duration， sleep efficiency， scores of long-term memory， transient memory， short-term memory， and memory quotient increased （P<0.05） after treatment in both groups. When compared with the control group after treatment， in the treatment group， sleep onset time score， the total score of PSQI， sleep latency， SAS score and TCM symptom score decreased （P<0.05） and the total sleep duration， sleep efficiency， scores of long-term memory and transient memory were elevated （P<0.05）.ConclusionAcupuncture combined with estazolam can remarkably improve the overall sleep quality， anxiety status， memory level， and TCM symptoms in patients with chronic insomnia. The combined treatment protocol is more superior to estazolam alone for chronic insomnia.关键词：Chronic insomnia;Acupuncture;Estazolam;Memory173|863|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：It is well known that acupoints have an intricate connection with the nervous system. The specific mechanism of acupuncture in regulating the nervous system and exerting the therapeutic effect is one of the hottest and most difficult aspects in the field of acupuncture research. The regulation of acupuncture on the nervous system involves multi-target and multi-link neurofeedback， and how to find the critical effector neurons in this process is the primary concern. In the present article， we introduce some modern paradigms and methodologies for screening acupuncture-responsive effector neurons starting from elucidation of structural and functional connectivity between acupoints and neurons， for example，1） neurovirus tracing techniques for studying the neuronal structural connections， and immediate early gene labeling for identifying functionally connected neuronal ensembles activated by acupuncture stimulation， 2） neuroimaging techniques for observing the impact of acupuncture on brain functional connections from a macroscopic perspective in real-time， 3） in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological recordings， as well as in vivo fiber-optics recording or two-photon calcium imaging for revealing the activity characteristics of activated neuronal ensembles， 4） analysis of the causal relationship between the key effect neurons， their neural circuit connections and the therapeutic effect of acupuncture by using multiple measures such as optogenetics and chemogenetics， etc. We should further strengthen the connection between the experimental research， basic theory exploration and clinical practice of acupuncture， accelerate the process of revealing the scientific connotations and promote the modernization and internationalization of acupuncture therapy.关键词：Acupuncture;Acupoint;Neural circuit;Neural tracing;Modern techniques120|266|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：Depression is a chronic and recurrent mental disorder characterized by high prevalence， prolonged episodes， high recurrence rate， and significant disability. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating this condition， and its underlying mechanisms are increasingly being investigated. The pathogenesis of depression is closely associated with oxidative stress. This review summarizes the mechanisms of acupuncture intervention in depression from the perspective of oxidative stress， including the regulation of oxidative stress-related signaling pathways， inhibition of ferroptosis， modulation of the oxidative stress-Calpain-inflammatory signal axis， reduction of cyclic guanosine monophosphate content， and attenuation of mitochondrial apoptosis. These actions collectively contribute to the reduction of oxidative stress products， enhancement of antioxidant capacity， and improvement of oxidative damage and depressive symptoms.关键词：Acupuncture;Depression;Oxidative stress;Signal pathway;Ferroptosis59|139|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：The pathological development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is closely related to the imbalance of immune-inflammatory homeostasis， mainly involving the dysregulation of T helper （Th） cell subset homeostasis， imbalance of inflammatory cell networks， cytokine storm， regulation of inflammatory signaling pathways， activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway， autophagy-mediated inflammatory response， and regulation of other inflammatory pathways. Through the multidimensional regulatory network of “acupoint-nerve-immunity”， acupuncture can simultaneously act on multiple key nodes such as the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway， kinase-mediated inflammatory response pathways， to remodel Th17/regulatory T lymphocyte （Treg） balance， and regulation of macrophage classical activation （M1）/alternative activation （M2） polarization， demonstrating superior homeostasis-regulating characteristics. This article systematically reviews the latest research progress on acupuncture in the multi-target synergistic regulation of immune-inflammatory homeostasis in COPD， aiming to provide evidence for the integrated treatment of COPD.关键词：Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;Acupuncture;Multi-target;Immunoregulation;Inflammatory response;Research progress58|100|0更新时间：2026-06-22
- 摘要：Acupuncture has demonstrated unique potential in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases， yet its further scientific advancement and international recognition still require breakthroughs in mechanism research and evidence strengthening. Isolated heart perfusion technique and calcium transient myocardial contraction measurement technique have provided new perspectives and methods for cardiac research. However， due to experimental limitations， these two techniques have rarely been utilized in acupuncture research. Integrating and applying these two technologies in acupuncture research can enable precise quantification of the multi-target regulatory effects of acupuncture on the autonomic nervous system-calcium cycle at the cellular level， as well as accurate evaluation of the synergistic and/or antagonistic interactions between acupuncture and medication in treating cardiovascular diseases. This integration will provide an effective means to deeply elucidate the calcium-regulation mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular effects of acupuncture. Through detailed analysis of the principles， applications， and advantages of these two technologies， this article further explores their application prospects in the research of cardiovascular modulation mechanism of acupuncture， thereby expanding new fields and directions in basic research of acupuncture.关键词：Acupuncture;Isolated heart;Calcium transients;Contractile function;Cardiovascular disease64|147|0更新时间：2026-06-22
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