Evaluation of the improvement effect of laser acupuncture biostimulation in asthmatic children by exhaled inflammatory biomarker level of nitric oxide

Photobiomodulation Mitigates PM2.5-Exacerbated Pathologies in a Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma

Exposure to particulate matter (PM), especially PM2.5, is known to exacerbate asthma, posing a significant public health risk. This study investigated the asthma-reducing effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) in a mice model mimicking allergic airway inflammation exacerbated by PM2.5 exposure. The mice received sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA) and were subsequently treated with PM2.5 at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg every 3 days, for 9 times over 3 weeks during the challenge. PBM, using a 610 nm wavelength LED, was applied at 1.7 mW/cm2 to the respiratory tract via direct skin contact for 20 min daily for 19 days. Results showed that PBM significantly reduced airway hyperresponsiveness, plasma immunoglobulin E (IgE) and OVA-specific IgE, airway inflammation, T-helper type 2 cytokine, histamine and tryptase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and goblet cell hyperplasia in PM2.5-exposed asthmatic mice. Moreover, PBM alleviated subepithelial fibrosis by reducing collagen deposition, airway smooth muscle mass, and expression of fibrosis-related genes. It mitigated reactive oxygen species generation, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptotic cell death, ferroptosis, and modulated autophagic signals in the asthmatic mice exposed to PM2.5. These findings suggest that PBM could be a promising intervention for PM2.5-induced respiratory complications in patients with allergic asthma.

Research on the Mechanism and Application of Acupuncture Therapy for Asthma: A Review

Asthma is a high-risk disease based on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). In this review, we found that there are many studies on clinical therapy for asthma that focus on the efficacy of acupuncture therapy and its mechanisms, including the functional connectivity of different brain regions, with the aid of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), immune responses/cell recognition (innate lymphoid cells and balance of Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17), intracellular mechanism (autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and epigenetic alteration), and ligand-receptor/chemical signaling pathway (neurotransmitter, hormone, and small molecules). In this review, we summarized the clinical and experimental evidence for the mechanisms of acupuncture therapy in asthma to offer insights into drug discovery and clinical therapy. Given the paucity of clinical studies on the mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of asthma, this review notably included studies based on animal models to investigate the mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of asthma.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Based Acupoint Application for Asthma Treatment in Children: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Objective

By conducting a systematic review of the efficacy of acupoint application on children with asthma.

Methods

We searched Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang) and English databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) for studies from the establishment of the database to October 2021. The included literature studies were randomized control studies investigating the treatment of asthma in children by acupoint application. The primary outcomes included the cure rate, the resolution time of cough, and the resolution time of wheezing. The secondary outcomes included pulmonary function and interleukins. Stata 15 and RevMan 5.4 were used to analyze the extracted data.

Results

A total of 24 related studies were included containing 2716 cases. The meta-analysis showed that TCM group was superior to control group in terms of cure rate, pulmonary function (FEV1), and resolution time of wheezing in children with asthma [RR = 1.26,95% (1.21,1.31), P < 0.05; SMD = 0.81, 95%CI (0.05,1.56), P < 0.05; WMD = -1.40, 95%CI (-1.75, -1.05), P < 0.05].

Conclusions

The present study shows that acupoint application is an effective treatment for children with asthma in China, especially in alleviating wheezing and improving quality of life.

Low-Level Laser Therapy in Prevention of the Development of Endothelial Dysfunction and Clinical Experience of Treatment and Rehabilitation of COVID-19 Patients

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the article is to justify the application of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) to prevent the development of endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. The results of treating and rehabilitating patients with COVID-19 and prevention of the disease using low-level laser therapy (LLLT) are evaluated.

METHODS

A literature review is conducted on mechanisms of vascular homeostasis regulation, biomodulating effect of laser light, and LLLT methods for preventing endothelial dysfunction. A total of 106 patients were treated in two COVID-19 healthcare centers in Russia. 22 patients with SARS (+) pneumonia at the stage of resolving the pathological lesion were admitted to rehabilitation using pulsed IR laser. 14 patients with acute forms of COVID-19 were treated using LASMIK device: wavelength 904 nm, pulsed mode, externally and ILBI-525 (intravenous laser blood illumination) + LUVBI (ultraviolet laser blood illumination). 70 persons underwent preventive courses of noninvasive LLLT.

RESULTS

It was shown that LLLT is effective in preventing the development of endothelial dysfunction. Clinical experience demonstrated good tolerability of the treatment, improvement in sputum discharge, and an improvement in overall health. The severity of general hypoxia decreased by the 5th procedure. The procedures for prevention of the disease were well tolerated; there were no cases of COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

Low-level laser therapy is a justified treatment method that promotes lung tissue regeneration and mitigates the consequences of the disease. The obtained results confirm that LLLT can be used for the effective prevention and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Allergic Diseases

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This paper purports to review recent relevant publications on the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine in treating allergic diseases, to illustrate the pertinent mechanisms of action of TCM, and to explore the possible role of TCM in the management of allergic diseases in the foreseeable future. As TCM embodies multiple treatment modalities, only the most popular two, namely CHM (Chinese herbal medicine) and acupuncture, were discussed. Publications, especially reviews involving randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of TCM on allergic diseases, published up to June 2019 were reviewed and analyzed. Papers reporting the mechanisms of action of TCM in allergic diseases were also included. Other publications in Chinese were also discussed.

RECENT FINDINGS

A startling escalation in the incidence of allergic diseases in the last several decades has posed tremendous social and financial burdens on the community. Failing to locate a cure for these chronic diseases, patients have resorted to using alternative medications of which traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a popular one. Thus CHM has been extensively employed for treating allergic diseases. Some investigations have been conducted to ascertain the therapeutic efficacy of CHM for allergic diseases. Although CHM has been widely deployed for treating allergic diseases, it appears from the published data that there is a dearth of conclusive evidence to establish the effectiveness of CHM for allergic diseases. It is recommended that more large- scale RCTs with prolonged durations be carried out to corroborate the efficacy of CHM for allergic diseases. On the other hand, there is ample evidence indicating that acupuncture is useful when administered alone in allergic rhinitis and asthma or when applied as an adjunct to conventional western therapy. Evidence of its utility in atopic eczema and urticaria is not definitive. It is recommended that acupuncture be integrated into the therapy of allergic rhinitis and asthma, and that CHM be used as an adjunct in the treatment of allergic diseases on an individual basis.

Methods of effective low-level laser therapy in the treatment of patients with bronchial asthma (literature review)

Bronchial asthma is an autoimmune disease, one of the most common and practically non-treatable by standard methods. At present, the used drugs only maintain a state of temporary remission, simultaneously having a negative effect on various organs and structures and causing side effects.

At the same time, the experts have ignored more than 50 years of successful experience of low-level laser therapy, the results of hundreds of studies proving the effectiveness of the method in treating patients with all forms of bronchial asthma. It is proved that therapeutic and periodic (2–4 per year) courses of low-level laser therapy can significantly decrease the frequency and severity of attacks, reduce or cancel the reception of medicines, as well as negative consequences.

In this brief review, only some part of studies is given as an example; pediatrics issues are almost not discussed. However, the review clearly demonstrates that various methods of laser illumination (specific techniques are given) make it possible to influence almost all the known pathogenesis of the disease, and low-level laser therapy is a truly effective method of treatment.

We note that there are very few publications published on the topic outside of Russia. Russian scientists, as always, are ahead of world science and low-level laser therapy practice.

Synopsis

Akute entzündliche Reaktionen bzw. der akute Infekt mit Restitutio ad integrum laufen in einer perfekt modulierten Kaskade ab, bei dem eine akute inflammatorische Einleitungsphase von einer antiinflammatorischen Phase und einer Entzündungsauflösungsphase abgelöst werden.

Assessment of Allergic Rhinitis among Children after Low-Level Laser Therapy

BACKGROUND

Allergic rhinitis (AR) represents one of the most common global health problems with seriously increasing incidence over the last decades. The goal of the treatment of rhinitis is to prevent or reduce the symptoms caused by the inflammation of affected tissues. Intranasal steroids and oral antihistamines are recommended as first lines of treatment. Acupuncture had reported a significant improvement in daily symptoms and an increase of symptom-free days in many studies enrolling adults' patients.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the laser acupuncture effect on the treatment of children AR in comparison to the effect of the medication and to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of laser acupuncture through measurement of serum inflammatory marker (hs-CRP).

METHODS

Sixty patients with allergic rhinitis their age group ranged from 4 to 18 years were divided randomly into two groups. Group 1 enrolled 30 patient that received AR in the form of intranasal steroids, antihistaminic, leukotriene antagonists while group2 thirty patients received 12 laser acupuncture sessions (2 sessions a \ week) on specific traditional Chinese acupuncture points.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in the severity score symptoms in both groups through and by the end of the study. High Significant improvement in the levels of the inflammatory marker in both groups, especially in the group which receive laser acupuncture sessions.

CONCLUSION

Laser acupuncture is a reliable, painless and non-invasive successful technique, which may be used as a complementary treatment for pediatric allergic rhinitis.

Effect of Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in Pulmonary Inflammation in Asthma Induced by House Dust Mite (HDM): Dosimetry Study

Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation in the airways. Several models have been proposed for the discovery of new therapies. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is relatively new and effective, very low cost, with no side effects. However, there is still no consensus on the optimal dose to be used. In this sense, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the best dose in an experimental model of asthma induced by House Dust Mite (HDM). Balb/c mice received administration of 100 ug/animal HDM and LLLT applications (diode laser: 660 nm, 100 mW and four different energies 1J, 3J, 5J, and 7.5J) for 16 days. After 24 hours, we studied inflammatory, functional, and structural parameters. The results showed that LBI was able to modulate the pulmonary inflammation observed by reducing the number of cells in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (BALF) as well as reducing the percentage of neutrophils, eosinophils and T lymphocytes. On the other hand, LLLT increased the level of IL-10 and reduced levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF. LLLT was able to reduce the production of mucus, peribronchial eosinophils, collagen deposition, bronchoconstriction index, and bronchial and muscular thickening in the airways. We concluded that the use of LLLT in the treatment of chronic inflammation of the airways attenuated the inflammatory process and functional and structural parameters. We emphasize, in general, that the 1J and 3J laser presented better results. Thus, photobiomodulation may be considered a promising tool for the treatment of chronic pulmonary allergic inflammation observed in asthma.