Electroacupuncture and Moxibustion Decrease Renal Sympathetic Nerve Activity and Retard Progression of Renal Disease in Rats

Background/Aim: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasing major public health problem worldwide. the sympathetic nervous system and nitric oxide play an important role in the pathogenesis of CKD. Traditional Chinese medicine has accumulated thousands of years of therapeutic experiences. Electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion (MO) are two such therapeutic strategies. the aim of this study was to investigate the renal and hemodynamic effects of EA-MO in an experimental model of a CKD. Methods: Male Wistar rats submitted to 5/6th nephrectomy (5/6 NX) were studied for 8 weeks. There were four groups: (1) control, normal rats; (2) NX, 5/6 NX only; (3) NX-AS, 5/6 NX and EA-MO session using sham points, and (4) NX-AM, 5/6 NX and EA-MO session using real acupoints. Biochemical and blood pressure studies, renal sympathetic nerve activity measurements, nitric oxide levels and the histopathological indices were assessed. Results:The EA- and MO-treated group presented significant improvement in all measured functional and histopathological parameters. Conclusion: These findings suggest that EA-MO had beneficial effects on CKD. This effect was probably achieved by the modulation of the renal sympathetic nerve activity and nitric oxide levels, leading to decreased blood pressure, which is associated with less proteinuria. Copyright (c) 2012 S. Karger AG, BaselConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Med, Div Nephrol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Physiol, Cardiovasc Physiol Div, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Chinese Med & Acupuncture Div, Dept Orthoped & Traumatol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Med, Div Nephrol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Physiol, Cardiovasc Physiol Div, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Chinese Med & Acupuncture Div, Dept Orthoped & Traumatol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Effect of moxibustion in the acuputure points Ren-12 (Zhongwwan), St-25(Tianshu) and St-36(Zuzanli) in the prevention of acute injury of the gastric mucosa produced by indomethacin in rats, and the involvement of C fibers in the mechanism of action

Introdução: Desde tempos remotos o homem utiliza o calor para aliviar a dor e ate mesmo tratar doencas. A terapia com moxabustao e adjuvante a acupuntura e seu principio basico consiste no aquecimento dos pontos de acupuntura pela combustao das folhas secas da planta Artemisia vulgaris. Esta tecnica terapeutica e de grande utilidade no tratamento de inumeras doencas, porem ao contrario da acupuntura, na literatura existem poucos trabalhos acerca do seu mecanismo de acao. Desta forma o objetivo do presente trabalho foi verificar o mecanismo de acao da aplicacao moxabustao nos pontos de acupuntura VC-12 (Zhongwan), E-25 (Tianshu) e E-36 (Zuzanli) na prevencao de lesoes agudas mucosa gastrica produzidas pela indometacina em ratos Wistar. Material e Metodo: Este trabalho foi dividido em 5 experimentos os quais tiveram em comum os procedimentos gerais da inducao da lesao aguda da mucosa gastrica pela aplicacao orogastrica de indometacina (20mg/Kg) e contagem das lesoes gastricas. Resultados: No primeiro e segundo experimentos foi mostrado que a moxabustao e eficaz na prevencao das lesoes agudas da mucosa gastrica, com o grupo MORA apresentando uma media de 0,039 mm2 de area lesada, correspondendo a 8,4 vezes menos do que o grupo INDO e a 2 vezes menos que a area ocupada pelo grupo SHAM (ponto falso) (p< 0,05), e que o aquecimento a uma temperatura de 60ºC foi significativamente (p<0,05) mais eficaz do que a 45ºC. No terceiro e quarto experimentos a aplicacao de moxabustao de folhas secas de Artemisia vulgaris foi significativamente (p<0,05) mais eficaz na prevencao das lesoes da mucosa gastrica do que a aplicacao da moxabustao de carvao de Artemisia e de charuto nos pontos de acupuntura, e tambem que a aplicacao de bolsa de agua quente. 0 quinto experimento mostrou que a lesao das fibras C com o uso da capsaicina limitou em parte o efeito da moxabustao em prevenir o aparecimento das lesoes gastricas. Conclusoes: A moxabustao e eficaz na prevencao de lesoes agudas da mucosa gastrica produzidas pela indometacina sendo este efeito dependente da temperatura aplicada, do material, do ponto de acupuntura e de integridade das fibras afferentes sensivitas, principalmente das fibras CBV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome with acupunture

BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Acupuncture may be an alternative to treat moderate obstructive sleep apnea

Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Immediate effect of acupuncture on the sleep pattern of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

Background Most patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) do not tolerate treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure, the 'gold standard' treatment for this condition. It was shown in a pilot study that acupuncture was more effective than placebo treatment (sham acupuncture) in producing significant changes in the respiratory events assessed by polysomnography (PSG).Objectives To investigate the immediate effect of manual acupuncture (MA) and electroacupuncture (EA) on the sleep pattern of patients presenting with moderate OSA.Methods 40 patients with an Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index (AHI) of 15-30/h were randomly allocated to MA treatment (n=10), EA 10 Hz treatment (n=10), EA 2 Hz treatment (n=10) and a no-treatment control group (n=10). the patients received MA or EA (2 or 10 Hz) just before the PSG study at 20:00.Results the AHI (p=0.005; p=0.005), the Apnoea Index (p=0.038; p=0.009) and the respiratory events (p=0.039; p=0.014) decreased significantly in the MA and EA 10 Hz groups, respectively (AHI (21.9, 11.2), Apnoea Index (5.15, 0.7), respiratory events (120.5, 61.0) in the MA group before and after. AHI (20.6, 9.9), Apnoea Index (8.2, 0.3), respiratory events (117.0, 56.0) in the EA 10 Hz group before and after). the micro-arousals decreased only in the MA group (146.0 vs 88.5, p=0.0002). There were no significant changes in the EA 2 Hz group or in the control group.Conclusion A single session of either MA or EA 10 Hz had an acute effect in reducing the AHI as well as the number of nocturnal respiratory events of patients presenting with moderate OSA.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, Sleep Div, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, Sleep Div, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Electroacupuncture and Moxibustion Attenuate the Progression of Renal Disease in 5/6 Nephrectomized Rats

Background/Aim: Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide public health problem and the prevention of its progression is still a major challenge in nephrology. Specific therapies that inhibit or attenuate this process are neither available nor satisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicine has been increasingly recognized as an effective therapeutic approach in several fields of medicine. the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion (MO) in an experimental model of progressive renal disease in rats. Methods: Twenty-one male Wistar rats were submitted to 5/6th nephrectomy (NX) and assessed 8 weeks later and were divided into three groups: NX=only 5/6 NX, NX-AS=5/6 NX and a 20-min EA-MO session in sham points, and NX-AM=5/6 NX and a 20-min EA-MO session in three real acupuncture points. the treatment consisted of 16 sessions twice a week. Renal function, urine volume, serum creatinine, 24-hour proteinuria, direct and indirect blood pressure, glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis indices were assessed. Results: the NX-AM group showed a significant decrease in all investigated parameters when compared to the control groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that EA and MO attenuated the progression of renal disease in the experimental model of 5/6 NX. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, BaselConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Nephrol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Orthoped & Traumatol, Chinese Med & Acupuncture Div, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Nephrol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Orthoped & Traumatol, Chinese Med & Acupuncture Div, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc