Objective To observe the clinical effect and safety of Sulfasalazine(SASP)combined with ZHUANG medicine mediated thread moxibustion(ZMMTM)for patients with mild and moderate ulcerative colitis(UC).Methods A total of 46UC patients were randomly and equally divided into moxibustion group(SASP combined with ZMMTM)and SASP medication group.Patients of both groups were treated by oral administration of SASP(1g

tid)for six weeks.For patients of the moxibustion group

ZMMTM was applied to points Tianshu(ST 25)

Qihai(CV 6)

Guanyuan(CV 4)

and Dachangshu(BL 25)

once a day

for 20times.The therapeutic effect was assessed according to Schroeder and colleagues' method(1987)

scores of Baron's endoscope scale(0-9scoring standards

1964)

0-3scoring standards of activity indexes(including 4items of diarrhea

hemorrhage

mucosal appearance and doctors' evaluation)

respectively.Results Of the two 32UC patients in the medication and moxibustion groups

6and 9had a complete remission in their symptoms

6and 7experienced a remarkable improvement

5and 6were effective

and 6and 1was invalid

with the effective rates being 73.91% and 95.65%

respectively.Following the treatment

both endoscopic score and activity index in the moxibustion group were significantly lower than those of the medication group(P<0.05).Conclusion ZMMTM combined with medication is significantly superior to simple medication in relieving clinical symptoms of mild and moderate UC patients.