Effect of moxibustion treatment on cell apoptosis and expressions of heat shock protein and second mitochondrial activator of caspase in acute gastric mucosal lesion of rats

Effects of 3.95 μm infrared moxibustion on cancer-related fatigue: a randomized, controlled trial

Cancer-related fatigue(CRF) is a prevalent and distressing symptom among cancer patients. This study aimed to assess the initial effectiveness and safety of 3.95 μm infrared moxibustion for CRF. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 65 CRF-diagnosed cancer patients, where the treatment group received 3.95 μm infrared moxibustion on on the ST36 (bilateral), CV4, and CV6 acupoints, each patient underwent 30-minute sessions, with 8 sessions per course and a total of 24 sessions, while the control group received standard care. The study evaluated fatigue and sleep quality using the Piper Fatigue Score (PFS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) after the 2nd and 3rd sessions. After the 2nd session, individual fatigue was significantly lower in the infrared moxibustion treatment group than in the control group (6.39 vs. 5.26, P = 0.000). After the 3rd session, individuals treated with infrared moxibustion had significantly better fatigue and sleep quality than the control group (6.60 vs. 4.63, P = 0.000), (9.45 vs. 7.84, P = 0.041). The safety profile of infrared moxibustion was favorable, with only four cases of skin adverse reactions reported. This study suggests that infrared moxibustion is a safe and effective treatment for CRF in Chinese cancer patients. However, further research involving larger and more diverse populations is necessary to validate these findings.

Effect of electroacupuncture on the repair of stress ulcer injury in neurocritical patients: A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Stress ulcer (SU) is one of the main causes of prolonged hospital stay, poor prognosis, and increased mortality in critically ill patients. This study aimed to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on SU in patients with severe neurological diseases and explore its possible mechanisms.

METHODS

Taking patients with SU in adult neurocritical care as the research object, they were randomly divided into the EA group and the control group. Through the perioperative EA intervention, the following indicators were documented: main observation indicator (the effective rate of SU treatment), secondary observation indicators (gastric juice pH, gastric juice occult blood test, and stool occult blood test), related mechanisms [repair factors trefoil factor family 2 (TFF2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)], complications during hospitalization, and intensive care unit (ICU) stay time.

RESULTS

Compared with the control treatment, EA increased the effective rate of SU treatment (85.4% for the EA group, 57.5% for the control group, risk difference: 27.9% (95% CI: 8.3%-45.1%); P < 0.01). EA increased the success rate of gastric juice pH treatment on days 1, 2, and 3 (P < 0.01 for day 1, P < 0.05 for days 2 and 3). EA lowered the positive rate of gastric occult blood test on days 1 and 3 (all P-values < 0.05) and the positive rate of fecal occult blood test on day 3 (P < 0.05). EA also reduced the ICU stay time (P < 0.01) and total hospitalization time (P < 0.05). Compared with day 0, all serum repair factors (VEGF, HSP70, and TFF2) of both groups significantly increased on days 1, 3, and 5 (all P-values < 0.01). Compared with the control group, VEGF in the EA group was increased on days 3 and 5 (all P-values < 0.01); HSP70 was increased on days 1, 3, and 5 (P < 0.05 for day 1, P < 0.01 for days 3 and 5); and TFF2 was increased on days 1, 3, and 5 (all P-values < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Electroacupuncture promoted the repair of SU damage in severe neurological disease, and its effect was related to enhancing the expression of gastric mucosal repair factors.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

[https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=127012], identifier [ChiCTR2100046701].

Dynamic observation and analysis of metabolic response to moxibustion stimulation on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions (GML) rats

Background

Gastric mucosal lesion (GML) is the initiating pathological process in many refractory gastric diseases. And moxibustion is an increasingly popular alternative therapy that prevents and treats diseases. However, there are few published reports about developing pathology of GML and therapeutic mechanism of moxibustion treatment on GML. In this study, we investigated pathology of GML and therapeutic mechanism of moxibustion treatment on GML.

Methods

The male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were induced by intragastric administration of 75% ethanol after fasting for 24 h and treated by moxibustion at Zusanli (ST36) and Liangmen (ST21) for 1 day, 4 days or 7 days. Then we applied ¹H NMR-based metabolomics to dynamic analysis of metabolic profiles in biological samples (stomach, cerebral cortex and medulla). And the conventional histopathological examinations as well as metabolic pathways assays were also performed.

Results

Moxibustion intervention showed a beneficial effect on GML by modulating comprehensive metabolic alterations caused by GML, including energy metabolism, membrane metabolism, cellular active and neurotransmitters function.

Conclusions

Moxibustion can effectively treat gastric mucosal damage and effectively regulate the concentration of some related differential metabolites to maintain the stability of the metabolic pathway.

Pro-apoptotic effects of Kangfuxin on human stomach cancer cells and its underlying mechanism

Kangfuxin (KFX) is an oral liquid derived from Periplaneta americana, with complex components. KFX has been demonstrated to exhibit anticancer activity in a variety of different types of tumor, including gastric cancer; however, its underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. The present study was designed to investigate the pro-apoptotic effects of KFX on SGC-7901 cells, in order to provide a theoretical basis for clinical application. In order to clarify the pro-apoptotic effects of KFX on SGC-7901 cells, MTT analysis was conducted. To evaluate the anticancer effect of KFX, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Western blot analysis was used to determine the effects of KFX on the expression of cleaved caspase-3, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), ERK, tumor protein p53 (p53), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β. In addition, terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) analysis was used to detect apoptosis in SGC-7901 cells. It was revealed that PPAR-γ was increased in SGC-7901 cells following treatment with KFX, shown by an increase in mRNA expression. Furthermore, western blot analysis identified that KFX treatment groups exhibited markedly inhibited levels of Bcl-2, IL-6, IL-1β and p-ERK, and induced p53 protein expression. Additionally, TUNEL and MTT assays demonstrated that treatment with KFX may induce SGC-7901 cell apoptosis and inhibit proliferation. In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, the results of the present study demonstrated for the first time that KFX may induce SGC-7901 cell apoptosis and inhibit its proliferation, and this may be primarily attributed to its role in mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase kinase/ERK signaling pathway inhibition.

The Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy: A Case and Review of Literature

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a cause of high risk for morbidity and mortality. It has been debated in alcoholic cirrhosis, if alcohol exerts an exclusive and causal role upon gastropathy or whether it is linked to cirrhotic portal hypertension. The authors describe an autopsy report regarding mortality caused by gastric bleeding in a 53-year-old patient who suffered from cirrhosis. Literature has evidence of direct, marked damage of alcohol upon the gastric mucosa and there is noteworthy statistical data implying the revaluation of the pathogenesis of the bleeding.

Acupuncture Decreases NF-κB p65, miR-155, and miR-21 and Increases miR-146a Expression in Chronic Atrophic Gastritis Rats

Acupuncture has been used to treat chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for centuries. In this study, we evaluated the effect of acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36), Zhongwan (CV12), and Pishu (BL20) acupoints on weight changes of rats, histological changes of gastric glands, and expressions changes of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, microRNA- (miR-) 155, miR-21, and miR-146a in CAG rats induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) combined with irregular diet. Consequently, we found that acupuncture treatment elevated body weight of rats significantly when compared to the model group. By observing histological changes, we found that the acupuncture group showed better improvement of gastric mucosa injury than the model group. Our results also demonstrated upregulation of NF-κB p65, miR-155, and miR-21 in gastric tissue of CAG rats and a positive correlation between miR-155 and miR-21. Relatively, expression of miR-146a was downregulated and negative correlation relationships between miR-146a and miR-155/miR-21 in CAG rats were observed. Additionally, expressions of NF-κB p65, miR-155, and miR-21 were downregulated and miR-146a was upregulated after acupuncture treatment. Taken together, our data imply that acupuncture can downregulate NF-κB p65, miR-155, and miR-21 and upregulate miR-146a expression in CAG rats. NF-κB p65, miR-155, miR-21, and miR-146a may play important roles in therapeutic effect of acupuncture in treating CAG.

Protective role of ellagitannins from Eucalyptus citriodora against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats: impact on oxidative stress, inflammation and calcitonin-gene related peptide

The gastroprotective activity of an ellagitannin-rich fraction obtained from Eucalyptus citriodora (ECF) was investigated against ethanol-induced gastric ulceration in rats. The rats were pretreated with ECF (25, 50 and 100mg/kg) 1h before the administration of absolute ethanol to induce acute gastric ulceration. The gastric lesions were significantly reduced by all doses of ECF. Notably, pre-treatment with ECF (100mg/kg) conferred 99.6% gastroprotection, which is significantly higher than that produced by omeprazole. Moreover, ECF administration markedly increased the mucin content in a dose-dependent manner. The potent gastroprotective effect of ECF could be partly mediated by attenuating ethanol-induced oxidative stress. ECF-pre-treatment markedly increased the depleted GSH and SOD levels in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ECF significantly decreased the elevated MDA tissue levels induced by ethanol administration. The results demonstrated that ECF administration exerted a powerful anti-inflammatory activity as evidenced by the reduction in the pro-inflammatory markers; IL-1β, TNF-α, 5-LO and COX-2. Additionally, the caspase-3 tissue levels were significantly reduced in the groups pre-treated with ECF. These results suggest that ECF could exert a beneficial gastroprotective effect through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. Furthermore, ECF pre-treatment significantly attenuated the ethanol-induced decrease in CGRP expression, which has a protective role against gastric ulceration. Histopathological examination revealed intact mucosal layer, absence of hemorrhage and necrosis in groups treated with ECF. Ellagitannins were identified as the major active constituents responsible for the marked antioxidant and gastroprotective properties of ECF. The HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS/MS technique was employed to identify the ellagitannins of E. citriodora.

Moxibustion Activates Macrophage Autophagy and Protects Experimental Mice against Bacterial Infection

Moxibustion is one of main therapies in traditional Chinese medicine and uses heat stimulation on the body surface from the burning of moxa to release pain or treat diseases. Emerging studies have shown that moxibustion can generate therapeutic effects by activating a series of signaling pathways and neuroendocrine-immune activities. Here we show moxibustion promoted profound macrophage autophagy in experimental Kunming mice, with reduced Akt phosphorylation and activated eIF2α phosphorylation. Consequently, moxibustion promoted bacterial clearance by macrophages and protected mice from mortality due to bacterial infection. These results indicate that moxibustion generates a protective response by activating autophagy against bacterial infections.