Moxibustion Strategies for Mice

The field of moxibustion research is expanding, with a rapid increase in publications in recent years. Moxibustion is a therapy that ignites moxa on the ...

Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Knee osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis in elderly patients that is characterised by pain and functional limitation. Moxibustion has been employed to relieve chronic pain as an alternative therapy for knee osteoarthritis. However, the evidence of its efficacy is equivocal due to the low methodological quality in most clinical studies. Therefore, we are performing a double-blinded, double-placebo, randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of moxibustion in participants with knee osteoarthritis.

Moxibustion versus diclofenac sodium gel for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a study protocol for a double-blinded, double-placebo, randomised controlled trial.

Conventional moxibustion is a representative non-drug intervention in traditional Chinese medicine, and it has been reported to produce encouraging results and benefits in relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in previous clinical trials and systematic reviews. Given that increasing concerns on the safety of generated smoke from conventional moxibustion have received much attention, smoke-free moxibustion is regarded as a potential alternative. However, whether smoke-free moxibustion would display a similar efficacy to that of conventional moxibustion still remains unclear. Therefore, this randomized controlled trial attempts to investigate the difference of efficacy between conventional moxibustion and smoke-free moxibustion in patients with KOA.

Comparison of the efficacy between conventional moxibustion and smoke-free moxibustion on knee osteoarthritis: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether contralateral moxibustion would generate a similar analgesic effect with ipsilateral moxibustion. Contra- and ipsilateral moxibustion were separately applied to Zusanli (ST36) acupoints of inflammatory pain mice. The analgesic effect was evaluated, respectively, by licking/biting time (LBT) of formalin-induced inflammatory pain and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) of complete Freund's adjuvant- (CFA-) induced inflammatory pain. For formalin-induced pain, compared with formalin group, the total LBT of ipsi- and contralateral moxibustion reduced in both phase I and phase II, but there was no significant difference between ipsi- and contralateral moxibustion. For CFA-induced inflammatory pain, compared with CFA group, TWL of ipsi- and contra-Moxi groups increased immediately after moxibustion intervention; however there was no obvious difference between ipsi- and contralateral moxibustion at any timepoint. It indicated that contralateral moxibustion had a similar analgesic effect with ipsilateral moxibustion in both formalin- and CFA-induced pain. These results suggest that both ipsi- and contralateral moxibustion could be applied for pain relief.

Ipsi- and Contralateral Moxibustion Generate Similar Analgesic Effect on Inflammatory Pain.

The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of efficacy between conventional moxibustion (CM) and smoke-free moxibustion (SM) for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (KOA).

Comparison of the Efficacy between Conventional Moxibustion and Smoke-Free Moxibustion on Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Many cancer patients experience gastrointestinal adverse reaction during chemotherapy. Pharmacological interventions are commonly used to treat chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal side effects but have various limitations. Clinical trials have indicated that moxibustion may alleviate gastrointestinal dysfunction and improve quality of life (QoL) after chemotherapy. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of moxibustion for chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal adverse reaction through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The efficacy and safety of moxibustion for chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal adverse reaction: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Manganese chloride (MnCl) has been shown to inhibit the Yes-associated protein (YAP) in high-fat diet-fed ApoE mice. Although YAP has been implicated in atherogenesis, there are limited data on the effects of MnCl on cardiac remodeling. In this study, we discovered, by electrocardiography, that hyperlipidemia led to spontaneous supraventricular arrhythmia (SVA) in ApoE (KO) mice, with 3 of 9 KO + MnCl mice (33%) exhibiting lower incidence of spontaneous SVA than KO mice (6 of 10 mice, 60%). Echocardiography revealed that reduced systolic function in KO mice was reversed by MnCl treatment. Oil Red O staining of the aortas and biochemical analysis of lipid levels showed that MnCl inhibited plaque formation in a lipid metabolism-independent manner. MnCl inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and reduced fibrosis, as evidenced by hematoxylin and eosin, immunohistochemical and Masson's trichrome staining, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that spontaneous SVA and reduced systolic function were blocked by MnCl. Our findings show that MnCl was useful in delaying cardiac remodeling and reducing susceptibility to spontaneous SVA in a mouse model of hyperlipidemia.

Oral administration of MnCl attenuated hyperlipidemia-related cardiac remodeling in ApoE mice.

Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve remodeling play an important role in cardiac function after myocardial ischemia (MI) injury. Increasing evidence indicates that electroacupuncture (EA) can regulate cardiac function by modulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS), but little is known about its effectiveness on neural remodeling post-MI.

Electroacupuncture improves cardiac function and reduces infarct size by modulating cardiac autonomic remodeling in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia.

Aldosterone induces cardiac electrical and structural remodeling, which leads to the development of heart failure and/or atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it remains unknown whether aldosterone-induced remodeling may modulate the efficacy of anti-AF drugs. In this study, we aimed to jeopardize the structural and functional remodeling by aldosterone in rats with aorto-venocaval shunts (AVS rats) and evaluate the effect of acehytisine in this model. An AVS operation was performed on rats (n = 6, male) and it was accompanied by the intraperitoneal infusion of aldosterone (AVS + Ald) at 2.0 µg/h for 28 d. The cardiopathy was characterized by echocardiography, electrophysiologic and hemodynamic testing, and morphometric examination in comparison with sham-operated rats (n = 3), sham + Ald (n = 6), and AVS (n = 5). Aldosterone accelerated the progression from asymptomatic heart failure to overt heart failure and induced sustained AF resistant to electrical fibrillation in one out of six rats. In addition, it prolonged PR, QT interval and Wenckebach cycle length. Acehytisine failed to suppress AF in the AVS + Ald rats. In conclusion, aldosterone jeopardized electrical remodeling and blunted the electrophysiological response to acehytisine on AF.

Electrophysiological Response to Acehytisine Was Modulated by Aldosterone in Rats with Aorto-Venocaval Shunts.

The therapeutic effect of grain-sized moxibustion (GS-Moxi) on inflammatory pain has been well recognized clinically, but the mechanism remains unclear. STIM1/ORAI1 is a sensible temperature channel, therefore; this study aimed to investigate the analgesic effect of GS-Moxi and the association with STIM1/ORAI1 expression. CFA-induced inflammatory pain model was established and was treated with GS-Moxi after 3 days of CFA injection. The behavioral test was measured after the GS-Moxi; then, serum was prepared for IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and the stimulated skin was used for measuring STIM1 and ORAI1 expression. The results indicated GS-Moxi had an analgesic effect on inflammatory pain and the heat variation was significant for the analgesia. GS-Moxi decreased the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Immunofluorescence and western blot analysis illustrated that heat change was associated with the stimulation of STIM1 and ORAI1. Suggesting that heat variation created by GS-Moxi could be crucial in this therapy and STIM1 and ORAI1 were potential enhancers in regulating analgesia of GS-Moxi.

The role of STIM1/ORAI1 channel in the analgesic effect of grain-sized moxibustion on inflammatory pain mice model.

With the continuous progression of a new generation of adjuvant chemotherapy, the survival time of breast cancer patients has also been significantly improved. Chemotherapy alone will cause a series of side effects, which will seriously affect the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Chinese medicine combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy has a unique advantage in the treatment of breast cancer.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of traditional Chinese medicine with chemotherapy in breast cancer.

The pathological process of myocardial ischemia (MI) is very complicated. Acupuncture at PC6 has been proved to be effective against MI injury, but the mechanism remains unclear. This study investigated the mechanism that underlies the effect of acupuncture on MI through full-length transcriptome.

Full-length transcriptome analysis reveals the mechanism of acupuncture at PC6 improves cardiac function in myocardial ischemia model.

A newly-developed "Mouse Forelimb Fixator" and two types of "Batch Mice Moxibustion Device" on the basis of our "Mouse Safe and Fast Fixation Board" (developed in 2012) were introduced in the present paper. The Forelimb Fixator inserted into the base part of the apparatus in tenon and mortise style is used to control the mouse's posture with the forelimbs' acupoints fully exposed, and can realize simultaneous fixation of several mice at the same time. By using the mobility of the base of the single-hole moxibustion frame and the magnet, the distance between the acupoint surface and the tip of the ignited moxa stick can be accurately controlled, and several acupoints of different meridians can be simultaneously stimulated at the same time. Utilizing the porous transparent moxibustion board, the Batch Mice Moxibustion Device can meet the requirement of moxibustion at multiple acupoints at the same time. In addition, these devices are convenient in operation, innovative in creativity, save manpower and material resources, and help improve experimental efficiency and research on moxibustion.

Article	Year
Moxibustion versus diclofenac sodium gel for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a study protocol for a double-blinded, double-placebo, randomised controlled trial. BMJ open\| PubMed ID: 28404609	2017
Comparison of the efficacy between conventional moxibustion and smoke-free moxibustion on knee osteoarthritis: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Trials\| PubMed ID: 28438185	2017
Ipsi- and Contralateral Moxibustion Generate Similar Analgesic Effect on Inflammatory Pain. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM\| PubMed ID: 30867668	2019
Comparison of the Efficacy between Conventional Moxibustion and Smoke-Free Moxibustion on Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM\| PubMed ID: 31001350	2019
The efficacy and safety of moxibustion for chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal adverse reaction: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine\| PubMed ID: 32871961	2020
Oral administration of MnCl attenuated hyperlipidemia-related cardiac remodeling in ApoE mice. Journal of pharmacological sciences\| PubMed ID: 33451751	2021
Electroacupuncture improves cardiac function and reduces infarct size by modulating cardiac autonomic remodeling in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia. Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society\| PubMed ID: 34056953	2021
Electrophysiological Response to Acehytisine Was Modulated by Aldosterone in Rats with Aorto-Venocaval Shunts. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin\| PubMed ID: 34078775	2021
The role of STIM1/ORAI1 channel in the analgesic effect of grain-sized moxibustion on inflammatory pain mice model. Life sciences\| PubMed ID: 34102196	2021
A systematic review and meta-analysis of traditional Chinese medicine with chemotherapy in breast cancer. Gland surgery\| PubMed ID: 34164318	2021
Full-length transcriptome analysis reveals the mechanism of acupuncture at PC6 improves cardiac function in myocardial ischemia model. Chinese medicine\| PubMed ID: 34238326	2021
[Introduction of a new type of mouse forelimb fixator and two types of batch mice moxibustion device]. Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research\| PubMed ID: 34369684	2021

Cheng-shun Zhang

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