Experimental study on the effect of different moxibustion durations on rats with rheumatoid arthritis

• Published in: Journal of acupuncture and tuina science 2017-06, Vol.15 (3), p.177-183
• Main Authors: Wu, Xin-yu, Wang, Yang, Sun, Zhi-ling, Qin, Xue, Zhao, Jiang, Xu, Xiao, Zhang, Yong-yi, Xue, Lian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acupuncture; Basic Study; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Rheumatoid arthritis; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF
• ISSN: 1672-3597; 1993-0399
• DOI: 10.1007/s11726-017-0997-8

Objective To observe the effect of different moxibustion durations on rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the relationship between moxibustion amount and moxibustion efficacy. Methods Eight rats were randomly selected as a normal group from the 40 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and the other 32 rats were used to establish type II collagen-induced RA models. After successful modeling, the 32 rats were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion for 20 min group, a moxibustion for 40 min group and a moxibustion for 60 min group, with 8 rats in each group. Rats in the normal group did not receive modeling and moxibustion intervention; rats in the model group did not receive moxibustion after modeling; rats in the moxibustion for 20 min group, the moxibustion for 40 min group and the moxibustion for 60 min group were treated with moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36) for 20 min, 40 min and 60 min, respectively. Six days were a course of treatment, with a total of 3-course treatments and a 1-day rest between the courses of treatment. After treatment, the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, arthritis index (AI) scores, toe volumes and pathological score of synovitis were evaluated in the rats. Results Compared with the normal group, the serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels, and the toe volumes in the model group were increased, and the differences were statistically significant ( P