Objective To observe the effect of herbal-cake-partitioned moxibustion(HCPM)of"Shenque"(CV8)and"Daheng"(SP15)on abdominal pain

plasmaβ-endorphin(β-EP)

uterine prostaglandin E2(PGE2)and prostaglandin F2α(PGF2α)levels

as well as splenetic natural killer cell(NK cell)activity in primary dysmenorrhea(PD)rats

so as to explore the specificity of acupoint function and the underlying mechanisms of moxibustion in relieving dysmenorrhea.Methods A total of 40 female rats were randomized into blank control

model

CV8-direct moxibustion

CV8-HCPM and SP15-HCPM groups(n=8 rats in each).The PD model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate injection(0.2—0.5 mg/rat)for 10 consecutive days and intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin(2 U)24 hafter the last subcutaneous injection.Moxibustion or herbal-cake(composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis

Rhizoma Chuanxiong

Radix Paeoniae Rubra

Cortex Cinnamomi

etc.)-partitioned moxibustion was applied to CV8

SP15 or umbilicus respectively for 7 moxa-cones every time

once daily for 10 successive days.The rats of the control and model groups were also restrained as those in the moxibustion groups.The writhing times within 30 minutes was recorded and the contents of plasmaβ-EP

uterine PGE2 and PGF2αwere detected by ELISA

and NK cell activity was detected using MTT.Results Compared with the control group

the writhing times and the content of PGF2αin the uterus tissue were significantly increased in the model group(P<0.01)

while the contents of plasmaβ-EP

uterine PGE2 and splenetic NK cell activity were significantly decreased(P<0.01).In comparison with the model group

the writhing times and uterine PGF2αcontent were obviously down-regulated in the SP15-HCPM

CV8-direct moxibustion and CV8-HCPM groups(P<0.05

P<0.01)

and the contents of plasmaβ-EP and uterine PGE2

and splenetic NK cell activity were significantly increased(P<0.05

P<0.01).The therapeutic effects of CV8-HCPM group were significantly superior to those of SP15-HCPM and CV8-direct moxibustion groups in lowering writhing times and PGF2αlevel

and in up-regulatingβ-EP

PGE2(P<0.05

P<0.01).The NK cell activity of CV8-HCPM group was significantly increased compared with that in the SP15-HCPM group(P<0.05).No significant differences were found between the SP15-HCPM and CV8-direct moxibustion groups in the levels of writhing times

plasmaβ-EP and uterine PGE2

PGF2αcontents and splenetic NK cell activity(P>0.05).Conclusion Moxibustion of both CV8 and SP15 can relieve abdominal pain in PD rats

which may be closely associated with its effect in suppressing PD-induced decrease of plasmaβ-EP and uterine PGE2 levels and splenetic NK cell activity and increase of uterine PGF2α.The therapeutic effect of CV8-HCPM is obviously better than that of SP15-HCPM and CV8-direct moxibustion.