RECENT RESEARCH
Acupuncture and TCM
Cheng D , Su L , Wang X . et al .
Extract of Cynomorium songaricum ameliorates mitochondrial ultrastructure impairments and dysfunction in two different in vitro models of Alzheimer ’ s disease . BMC Complement Med Ther . 2021 ; 21 ( 201 ). https :// doi . org / 10.1186 / s12906-021-03375-2
Background : Alzheimer ’ s disease ( AD ) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders , but there is still no effective way to stop or slow its progression . Our previous studies demonstrated that extract of Cynomorium songaricum ( ECS ), a Chinese herbal medicine , had neuroprotective effects in AD models in vivo . However , the pharmacological mechanism of ECS in AD is still unclear .
Methods : To study the mechanisms of action of the effects of ECS on AD , we used Aβ25 – 35- and H2O2-exposed HT22 cells to mimic specific stages of AD in vitro . The mitochondrial membrane potential ( MMP ), intracellular ATP , intracellular reactive oxygen species ( ROS ), and expression levels of mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins in each group were examined . Furthermore , we explored the mechanisms by which ECS reduces the phosphorylation of Drp1 at Ser637 and the changes in the concentrations of intracellular calcium ions in the two models after FK506 intervention .
Results : The results showed that ECS significantly enhanced the MMP ( P < 0.05 ), increased intracellular ATP levels ( P < 0.05 ) and decreased intracellular ROS levels in the Aβ- and H2O2-induced cell models ( P < 0.05 ). Additionally , ECS regulated the expression levels of mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins by reducing the phosphorylation of Drp1 at Ser637 ( P < 0.05 ) and decreasing the expression of Fis1 in the H2O2- induced models ( P < 0.05 ). Further study indicated that ECS reduced the overload of intracellular calcium ( P < 0.05 ).
Conclusion : Our study results suggest that ECS protects the mitochondrial ultrastructure , ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction , and maintains mitochondrial dynamics in AD models .
Hu W-L , Yu H-J , Pan L-Y , Wu P-C , Pan C-C , Tseng Y-J , Hung Y-C .
Laser acupuncture improves tear film stability in patients with dry eye disease : A two-center randomized-controlled trial . The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine . 2021 ; 27 ( 7 ). https :// doi . org / 10.1089 / acm . 2020.0524
Objectives : To investigate the efficacy of laser acupuncture ( LA ) therapy in patients with dry eye disease ( DED ).
Design : A two-center randomized controlled trial .
Settings / Location : The Department of Ophthalmology , Chinese Medicine at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital , and the Sunming Eye Clinic in South Taiwan .
Subjects : Fifty-nine participants ages 20 to 65 years were enrolled and randomly assigned to the experimental group ( LA plus conventional treatment ) or the sham control group ( LA without laser output plus conventional treatment ).
Interventions : Subjects underwent LA treatment three times a week for 12 weeks . The subjects in the experimental group sequentially received 0.375 J of energy at each of the following acupoints : BL2 , TE23 , ST2 , LI4 , ST36 , and GB37 . Subjects in the control group received a sham LA treatment , without any laser output .
Outcome Measures : The primary outcome measure was ocular surface disease index ( OSDI ). The secondary outcome measures included tear film breakup time ( TFBUT ), Schirmer-I test finding , and visual analog scale ( VAS ) score .
Results : At 4 and 12 weeks after the first visit , the experimental group showed significant improvement of dry eye symptoms as measured by OSDI , TFBUT , Shirmer-I test , and VAS .
Compared with the control group , the OSDI ( 7.23 , p = 0.001 ) and TFBUT ( −1.78 , p = 0.001 ) significantly improved in the experimental group at 12 weeks of treatment .
Conclusions : LA improved the symptoms and tear stability related to DED in conjunction with conventional treatment . The authors suggest that LA be considered a complementary therapy for DED when conventional treatment does not provide satisfactory effects
Arentz S , Smith C , Redmond R et al .
A cross-sectional study of traditional Chinese medicine practitioner ’ s knowledge , treatment strategies and integration of practice of chronic pelvic pain in women . BMC Complement Med Ther . 2021 ; 21 ( 174 ). https :// doi . org / 10.1186 / s12906-021-03355-6
Background : Chronic pelvic pain ( CPP ) in women is persistent , intermittent cyclical and non-cyclical lower abdominal pain , lasting for more than 6 months . Traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM ) is a popular treatment option for women ’ s health conditions , but little is known about how treatment for CPP is delivered by TCM practitioners . The aim of this survey was to explore practitioners understanding and treatment of women with CPP , and how they integrate their management and care into the health care system .
Method : An online cross-sectional survey of registered TCM practitioners in Australia and New Zealand between May and October 2018 . Survey domains included treatment characteristics ( e . g . frequency ), evaluation of treatment efficacy , referral networks , and sources of information that informed clinical decision making .
Results : One hundred and twenty-two registered TCM practitioners responded to this survey , 91.7 % reported regular treatment of women with CPP . Treatment decisions were most-often guided by a combination of biomedical and TCM diagnosis ( 77.6 %), and once per week was the most common treatment frequency
158 | vol27 | no3 | JATMS