Efficacy and safety evaluation of systemic extremely low frequency magnetic fields used in the healing of diabetic foot ulcers--phase II data

Extremely Low Frequency, Extremely Low Magnetic Environment for depression: An open-label trial

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been suggested to play a role in depression pathogenesis. This clinical trial (jRCTs042220011) was conducted to evaluate whether depression symptoms could be alleviated by an Extremely Low Frequency, Extremely Low Magnetic Environment (ELF-ELME), which has been found in basic research studies to enhance mitochondrial membrane potential. Participants were exposed to the ELF-ELME via a head-mounted magnetic field device (10 μTesla, 4 ms, 1-8 Hz/8 s) worn for 2 h per day for 8 consecutive weeks. Four male patients with treatment-resistant depression were enrolled. Significant reductions from baseline in the average total Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score were observed at 4, 6, and 8 weeks. ELF-ELME appears to ameliorate depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder safely and effectively, suggesting that it could be used as an alternative treatment for depressive patients who do not prefer to take antidepressants and in combination with antidepressant therapy for patients who only partially respond to pharmacotherapy.

Magnetic fields as a potential therapy for diabetic wounds based on animal experiments and clinical trials

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder with various complications that poses a huge worldwide healthcare burden. Wounds in diabetes, especially diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), are difficult to manage, often leading to prolonged wound repair and even amputation. Wound management in people with diabetes is an extremely clinical and social concern. Nowadays, physical interventions gain much attention and have been widely developed in the fields of tissue regeneration and wound healing. Magnetic fields (MFs)-based devices are translated into clinical practice for the treatment of bone diseases and neurodegenerative disorder. This review attempts to give insight into the mechanisms and applications of MFs in wound care, especially in improving the healing outcomes of diabetic wounds. First, we discuss the pathological conditions associated with chronic diabetic wounds. Next, the mechanisms involved in MFs' effects on wounds are explored. At last, studies and reports regarding the effects of MFs on diabetic wounds from both animal experiments and clinical trials are reviewed. MFs exhibit great potential in promoting wound healing and have been practised in the management of diabetic wounds. Further studies on the exact mechanism of MFs on diabetic wounds and the development of suitable MF-based devices could lead to their increased applications into clinical practice.

The efficacy and safety of low-frequency rotating static magnetic field therapy combined with chemotherapy on advanced lung cancer patients: a randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of magnetic field (MF) therapy by a randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial.Materials and methods: From February 2016 to August 2019, patients with advanced lung cancer who conformed to inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. Patients were assigned into MF therapy group (MF group, receiving both MF therapy and chemotherapy) and control group (CON group, receiving sham MF therapy and chemotherapy) randomly. The treatment course was 21 days and 2 hours per day. Changes of life quality assessment scales, objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were analyzed as primary end points. The secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS), change of blood cytokine concentrations and safety. This study has been registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT02701231).Results: 77 patients were enrolled and 60 finished the study. Comparing to CON group, more patients in MF group (66.7% vs 25.9%) were experiencing life quality improvement on day 21. Besides, MF group patients had higher concentrations of IP-10 and GM-CSF, and lower concentration of sTREM-1 in plasma. However, the two groups were having similar ORR, DCR and PFS after treatment. Moreover, MF treatment did not increase adverse events in MF group.Conclusions: MF therapy could improve life quality and modulate blood cytokine concentration in advanced lung cancer patients. Hence, it might be applied as an adjuvant therapy along with chemotherapy.

ATP sensitive K+ channel subunits (Kir6.1, Kir6.2) are the candidate mediators regulating ameliorating effects of pulsed magnetic field on aortic contractility in diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that causes increased morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. With recent advancements in technology, alternative treatment methods have begun to be investigated in the world. This study aims to evaluate the effect of pulsed magnetic field (PMF) on vascular complications and contractile activities of aortic rings along with Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 subunit expressions of ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K_ATP ) in aortas of controlled-diabetic and non-controlled diabetic rats. Controlled-diabetic and non-controlled diabetic adult male Wistar rats were exposed to PMF for a period of 6 weeks according to the PMF application protocol (1 h/day; intensity: 1.5 mT; consecutive frequency: 1, 10, 20, and 40 Hz). After PMF exposure, body weight and blood glucose levels were measured. Then, thoracic aorta tissue was extracted for relaxation-contraction and Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 expression experiments. Blood plasma glucose levels, body weight, and aortic ring contraction percentage decreased in controlled-diabetic rats but increased in non-controlled diabetic rats. PMF therapy repressed Kir6.1 mRNA expression in non-controlled diabetic rats but not in controlled diabetic rats. Conversely, Kir6.2 mRNA expressions were repressed both in controlled diabetic and non-controlled diabetic rats by PMF. Our findings suggest that the positive therapeutic effects of PMF may act through (K_ATP ) subunits and may frequently occur in insulin-free conditions. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:299-311, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Exposure to static magnetic fields increases insulin secretion in rat INS-1 cells by activating the transcription of the insulin gene and up-regulating the expression of vesicle-secreted proteins

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of static magnetic fields (SMFs) on insulin secretion and explore the mechanisms underlying exposure to SMF-induced insulin secretion in rat insulinoma INS-1 cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

INS-1 cells were exposed to a 400 mT SMF for 72 h, and the proliferation of INS-1 cells was detected by (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The secretion of insulin was measured with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), the expression of genes was detected by real-time PCR, and the expression of proteins was measured by Western blotting.

RESULTS

Exposure to an SMF increased the expression and secretion of insulin by INS-1 cells but did not affect cell proliferation. Moreover, SMF exposure up-regulated the expression of several pancreas-specific transcriptional factors. Specifically, the activity of the rat insulin promoter was enhanced in INS-1 cells exposed to an SMF, and the expression levels of synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP-25) and syntaxin-1A were up-regulated after exposure to an SMF.

CONCLUSIONS

SMF exposure can promote insulin secretion in rat INS-1 cells by activating the transcription of the insulin gene and up-regulating the expression of vesicle-secreted proteins.