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submissions to | Home > Newsletters > May 2010 > Recent Research | |
Points - Recent Research |
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Clinical Effects of Acupuncture for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy |
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Acupuncture-Mediated Inhibition of Inflammation Facilitates Significant Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury |
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Antidiabetic Effect of Flavones From Cirsium Japonicum DC (Da Ji) in Dabetic Rats |
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Clinical Effects of Acupuncture for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Zhang C, et al. Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China. OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effects of acupuncture for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. METHODS: Totally 65 patients were randomly divided into a treatment group of 32 cases and a control group of 33 cases. On the basis of conventional treatment of diabetes, acupuncture was used in the treatment group, and inositol was orally administered in the control group. During a 3-month treatment, changes in the symptoms were observed. RESULTS: In the treatment group, 16 cases were markedly relieved, 12 cases improved, and 4 cases failed, with a total effective rate of 87.5%. In the control group, 7 cases were markedly relieved, 14 cases improved and 12 cases failed, with a total effective rate of 63.6%. There was a significant difference in the total effective rate between the 2 groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture may show good effects for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. J Tradit Chin Med. 2010 Mar;30(1):13-4. Source: PubMed Acupuncture-Mediated Inhibition of Inflammation
Facilitates Significant Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury Choi DC, et al. Age-Related and Brain Diseases Research
Center, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea; Neurodegeneration Control Research
Center, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
Abstract
Here, we first demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture after SCI. Acupuncture applied at two
specific acupoints, Shuigou (GV26) and Yanglingquan (GB34) significantly alleviated apoptotic cell death of
neurons and oligodendrocytes, thereby leading to improved functional recovery after SCI. Acupuncture also
inhibited caspase-3 activation and reduced the size of lesion cavity and extent of loss of axons. We also
found that the activation of both p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and resident microglia after injury
are significantly attenuated by acupuncture. In addition, acupuncture significantly reduced the expression
or activation of pro-nerve growth factor, proinflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha,
interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, nitric oxide synthase, cycloxygenase-2, and matrix metalloprotease-9
after SCI. Thus, our results suggest that the neuroprotection by acupuncture may be partly mediated via
inhibition of inflammation and microglial activation after SCI and acupuncture can be used as a potential
therapeutic tool for treating acute spinal injury in human. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc. Neurobiol Dis. 2010 Apr 9.
Source: PubMed Antidiabetic Effect of Flavones From Cirsium Japonicum DC (Da Ji) in
Diabetic Rats Liao Z, et al. College of Life and Environmental Science,
Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China. zyliap@sibs.ac.cn Cirsium japonicum DC (Da Ji) is a traditional Chinese herb used along with other herbs to
treat hypertension, traumatic hemorrhage, inflammation, and renal cellular injury. Here, we isolated two
flavones from Cirsium japonicum DC, pectolinarin and 5,7-dihydroxy-6,4'-dimethoxy flavone (DDMF), and
investigated their antidiabetic effect in diabetic rats established by intravenous injection with
streptozotocin followed by feeding with high-carbohydrate/high-fat diet. Both pectolinarin and DDMF showed
antidiabetic effect in diabetic rats. However, FECJ, a mixture of pectolinarin and DDMF, is more effective
than pectolinarin and DDMF in improving the plasma glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides levels in
diabetic rats. The altered activities of glucose metabolism-related enzymes in diabetic rats were well
reversed after flavone treatment. The plasma adiponectin level was greatly increased in diabetic rats
treated with FECJ, while no obvious effect of the flavones on the dysregulated plasma insulin level and
expressions of leptin and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) was observed. Our data indicated that the flavones
improved adiponectin expression, accompanied by restoring of the dysregulated activities of the glucose
metabolism-related enzymes, ultimately resulting in well improved glucose and lipid homeostasis. Thus, an
antidiabetic effect of Cirsium japonicum DC was revealed in diabetic rats, suggesting the potential benefit
of the Cirsium japonicum DC as an alternative in treating diabetes mellitus. Arch Pharm Res. 2010 Mar;33(3):353-62. Epub 2010 Mar 30.
Source: PubMed |
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