Objective： To study the impact of De-qi （得气%, obtaining qi） and psychological factors on the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea, with an attempt to explore the relationship among De-qi, psychological factors, and clinical efficacy. Methods： The patients with primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to a group of acupuncture with manual manipulation （manipulation group, n=67） and an acupuncture group without manipulation （non-manipulation group, n=64）. Pain intensity and pain duration were used as measures for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of the acupuncture treatment. De-qi, the sensations a patient experienced during the acupuncture treatment, was scored on a 4-point scale by the subjects. In addition, the psychological factors, including belief in acupuncture, the level of nervousness, anxiety, and depression, were quantitatively assessed. The personality of the subject was assessed using the Eysenck personality questionnaire （EPQ） and 16 personality factor questionnaire （16PF）. Results： Complete data were obtained from 120 patients, 60 patients in each group. There were statistically significant differences in pain intensity （W=2410.0, P〈0.01 ） and pain duration （W=3181.0, P〈0.01） between the two groups. The number of De-qi acupoints （W=1150.5, P〈0.01） and the average intensity of De-qi （W=1141.0, P〈0.01） were significantly higher in the manipulation group as compared with their non-manipulation counterparts. The correlation coefficients between De-qi and therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture were greater than those between psychological factors and therapeutic efficacy. Conclusions： Compared with the psychological factors, De-qi contributed more to the pain-relieving effect of acupuncture in subjects with primary dysmenorrhea. Moreover, manual manipulation is a prerequisite for eliciting and enhancing the De-qi sensations, and De-qi is critical for achieving therapeutic effects.
Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture treatment on silencing the expression of Oonnexin 43 （Cx43）, and to study the analgesic mechanism of acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea （PD） in rats. Methods We used estrostilben to develop the model of primary dysmenorrhea in rat, and RNA interference technology to silence the expression of Cx43 in acupoints. Fifty female rats were randomly divided into five groups （n = 10 in each group） ： normal, model, acupuncture, acupuncture ＋ interference and acupuncture＋ interference control group, pSilencer-Cx43-shRNA and pSilencer-Oon-shRNA were injected locally into the acupoints in interference group and interference-control group, respectively. The incidence rate of writhe reaction over the period of 30 min was evaluated. The expression of the oxytocin receptor （OTR） and vasopressin receptor（VasR） in rat myometrium with Semiquantitative RT-POR and immunohistochemistry. Results （1）The mRNA and protein level of Cx43 in acupoints in interference group were significantly lower those of in the acupuncture group （P〈0.05）. There was no significant difference between acupuncture and interference-control group. （2） Acupuncture could significantly prolong the latency period of writhing body and decrease the number of writhing body as compared with that of model group and interference group. （3）The level of OTR and VasR mRNA and protein in the model group were significantly higher （P〈0.05） as compared to normal group. The results in acupuncture group and interference-control group were similar to the normal group. The results in interference group were similar to the model group. Conclusions Acupuncture may be useful in the treatment of the model of primary dysmenorrhea in the rats. Local injection of Cx43 shRNA expression vetor could silence the expression of Cx43 in acupoint and markedly influence acupuncture effect, demonstrating Cx43 is involved in acupuncture effect.
The change of the expression of Cyclins in neurons of rats after focal cerebral ischemia was investigated. Ischemia was induced by temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO）. The experimental rats induced by MCAO were sacrificed on 7th and 14th day after reperfusion. The brain was taken out at 7th and 14th day after injury, and the expression of Cyclin D1, E, A and B1 in neurons of cerebral cortex or hippocampal CA1 region was detected by immunofluorescence and confocal microscope. The results showed that after MCAO, in the ipsilateral CA1 subfield of hippocampus the expression of Cyclin D1, E, A and B1 in neurons was significantly gradually up-regulated at 7th and 14th day after reperfusion （P〈0.05） as compared with that in control group. In the ipsilateral cerebral cortex the expression of Cyclin D1 and B1 in neurons was notably gradually down-regulated at 7th and 14th day, and that of Cyclin E and A was significantly up-regulated at 14th day after reperfusion as compared with that in control group （all P〈0.05）. It was concluded that there was a differential sensitivity among neurons from different brain regions to ischemic injury. But all of them re-enter into cell cycle after MCAO.
