Objective: To observe the effect of sympathectomy on moxibustion induced immunoregulation in mice. Methods: Experiments including two parts were conducted in 80 mice. Sympathecotomy was performed by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 6 hydroxydopamine (OHDA

100 mg/kg). The first part of the study (40 mice) was randomly and evenly divided into control group

moxibustion (M) group

6 OHDA group and 6 OHDA+M group. Immune hypofunction was produced by i.p. injection of cyclophosphamde (CY

50 mg/kg). The second part (40 mice) was evenly divided into CY

CY+M

CY+6 OHDA and CY+6 OHDA+M groups. "Shenshu"(BL 23) was moxibustioned for 5 min

once daily and continuously for 6 days. Serum IL 1 and IL 2 were detected with radioimmunoassay. Results: ① In the 4 groups of the first part of this study

after injection of 6 OHDA

the thymic index

spleen index

IL 1 and IL 2 levels

particularly the former 3 indexes lowered significantly (P< 0.05). After moxibustion

the thymic and spleen index and IL 2 in 6 OHDA group increased significantly (P<0.05) in comparison with 6 OHDA group

i.e. returned to normal (IL 1 and IL 2) or were close to those of control group (thymic and spleen index). ② In the second part

after injection of CY

the 4 indexes lowered clearly and after additional injection of 6 OHDA

these indexes decreased further. Following moxibustion

the 4 indexes of CY+M group increased significantly in comparison with CY group (P<0.05) and those of CY+6 OHDA+M group increased also considerably in comparison with those of CY+6 OHDA group (P<0.05

0.01). Conclusion: Moxibustion can raise chemical symqathecotomy or/and CY induced immune hypofunction; and sympathetic nerve participates in moxibustion induced up regulation of the immunofunction.