[Clinical Trial of Long-snake Moxibustion Treatment for Immune Function in Allergic Rhinitis Disease Patients].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the curative effect of long-snake moxibustion in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

METHODS

A total of 66 patients with allergic rhinitis were randomized into moxibustion group (=34) and control (herbal medicine) group (=32) according to a computer-aided random digit table. Long-snake moxibustion stimulation over the Governor Vessel from Dazhui (GV 14) to Mingmen (GV 4) was performed for 30 min, once a week for 2 consecutive months. Patients of the control group were treated by oral administration of "Yupingfeng" Granules (containing , etc.) one bag (5 g) every time, 3 times a day for 2 months. Plasma IL-2, IL-6, cAMP and cGMP contents were detected using ELISA.

RESULTS

After the treatment, of the 32 and 34 cases in the control and moxibustion groups, 2 and 6 were cured, 12 and 16 experienced marked improvement in their symptoms (nasal mucosal edema, obstruction and discharging, sneezing), 12 and 9 were improved, 6 and 3 invalid, with the effective rates being 81.3% and 91.2%, respectively. Results of ELISA showed that after the treatment, plasma IL-2, IL-6, and cGMP contents were significantly decreased in both the moxibustion and control groups (<0.01), while plasma cAMP levels and cAMP/cGMP ratios were significantly up-regulated in both groups (<0.01). The therapeutic effects of moxibustion were considerably superior to those of herbal medicine "Yupingfeng" in clinical effective rate and lowering plasma IL-2, IL-6, cGMP contents (<0.01), and in raising plasma cGMP level and cAMP/cGMP ratio(<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Long-snake moxibustion treatment is effective in improving symptoms of allergic rhinitis patients, which may be related to its function in mobilizing the body's immune function.