Hwang Ji Hye, Jung Hyo Won, Kang Seok Yong, Kang An Na, Ma Jun Nan, Meng Xiang Long, Hwang Min Sub, Park Yong-Ki
Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Gyeonggi 13120, Republic of Korea.
Department of Herbology, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk 38066, Republic of Korea.
Exp Ther Med. 2018 Jul;16(1):310-320. doi: 10.3892/etm.2018.6190. Epub 2018 May 18.
Acupuncture with MOK, a polyherbal medicine (MOK pharmacopuncture), has been used for the treatment of thyroid syndromes including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism in traditional Korean medicine. The present study investigated the effect of MOK pharmacopuncture on hypothyroidism and the mechanism underlying its antioxidation and immune regulation effects. Hypothyroidism was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by subcutaneous injection of Propylthiouracil (PTU; 10 mg/kg) once daily for 4 weeks. MOK was administered by acupuncture on the acupoints around the thyroid gland of PTU-induced hypothyroidism rats once daily for 2 weeks following hypothyroidism induction. Administration of MOK pharmacopuncture significantly increased the PTU-induced decrease in body temperature of hypothyroidism rats. The weights of the spleen were also significantly decreased in hyperthyroidism rats following MOK pharmacopuncture. MOK pharmacopuncture significantly decreased the thyroid stimulating hormone level and increased the T3 and T4 levels in hypothyroidism rats. Administration of MOK pharmacopuncture significantly increased the glucose levels and decreased the levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and alanine transaminase in the sera of hypothyroidism rats. The expression of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 was increased in dorsal root ganglion and brain tissues by administration of MOK pharmacopuncture, and glutathione levels and the expression of superoxide dismutase 1 and catalase were increased in the liver and brain tissues. Administration of MOK pharmacopuncture significantly inhibited interferon-γ expression and increased the expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and Forkhead Box P3 in the spleen tissues of hypothyroidism rats. In histological analysis, the administration of MOK pharmacopuncture improved the pathological features in the thyroid glands of hypothyroidism rats. The results suggested that the administration of pharmacopuncture may ameliorate the pathological progression of hypothyroidism by multiple actions, including normalization of the hypothyroidism-induced thyroid hormone imbalance, stimulation of the antioxidant defense system, and regulation of the T helper (Th)1/Th2 imbalance. Therefore, MOK extract may be used for the treatment of hypothyroidism in Korean clinics as a useful pharmacopuncture medicine.
在传统韩医学中,莫克(MOK,一种多草药药物)针灸疗法(莫克药针疗法)已被用于治疗包括甲状腺功能减退和甲状腺功能亢进在内的甲状腺综合征。本研究调查了莫克药针疗法对甲状腺功能减退的影响及其抗氧化和免疫调节作用的潜在机制。通过每天皮下注射丙硫氧嘧啶(PTU;10毫克/千克),持续4周,诱导斯普拉格-道利大鼠发生甲状腺功能减退。在诱导甲状腺功能减退后,每天对PTU诱导的甲状腺功能减退大鼠甲状腺周围穴位进行一次莫克针灸治疗,持续2周。给予莫克药针疗法可显著提高PTU诱导的甲状腺功能减退大鼠体温下降的幅度。莫克药针疗法后,甲状腺功能亢进大鼠的脾脏重量也显著降低。莫克药针疗法可显著降低甲状腺功能减退大鼠的促甲状腺激素水平,并提高T3和T4水平。给予莫克药针疗法可显著提高甲状腺功能减退大鼠血清中的葡萄糖水平,并降低甘油三酯、总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇和丙氨酸转氨酶水平。给予莫克药针疗法可使背根神经节和脑组织中瞬时受体电位阳离子通道亚家族V成员1的表达增加,肝脏和脑组织中的谷胱甘肽水平以及超氧化物歧化酶1和过氧化氢酶的表达增加。给予莫克药针疗法可显著抑制甲状腺功能减退大鼠脾脏组织中干扰素-γ的表达,并增加白细胞介素(IL)-4、IL-10和叉头框蛋白P3的表达。在组织学分析中,给予莫克药针疗法改善了甲状腺功能减退大鼠甲状腺的病理特征。结果表明,药针疗法可能通过多种作用改善甲状腺功能减退的病理进程,包括使甲状腺功能减退引起的甲状腺激素失衡正常化、刺激抗氧化防御系统以及调节辅助性T细胞(Th)1/Th2失衡。因此,莫克提取物作为一种有用的药针药物,可用于韩国诊所治疗甲状腺功能减退。