Zhou Zheyi, Dun Linglu, Xu Hong, Yu Peishan, Chen Cuilan, Si Tao, An Hongwei, Lu Junlei, Wei Bingxin, Guo Dongli, Yang Qian, Zheng Na, Yi Ping
Department of Neurology Laboratory, Liuzhou Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Liuzhou, China.
Ann Transl Med. 2022 Jul;10(14):791. doi: 10.21037/atm-22-3198.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become a crucial direction for ischemic stroke treatment. This study sought to explore the underlying roles of YaoYi-moxibustion (YY-moxi) in ischemic stroke.
A total of 75 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following 5 groups: (I) the sham-operated group; (II) the middle cerebral artery occlusion model (MCAO) group; (III) the YY-moxi group; (IV) the antioxidant (N-acetylcysteine, NAC) group; and (V) the NAC + YY-moxi group. After the model had been established, the NAC group received intracerebroventricular injections of NAC, the YY-moxi group received YY-moxi, and the NAC + YY-moxi group received a combination of these 2 interventions. The neurological deficit score was confirmed, and the cerebral infarction was examined by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. In the ischemia site of stroke, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated Dutp nick end labeling staining was applied to examine the apoptotic cells. Additionally, the apoptosis-associated genes and protein expressions in the ischemic brains were investigated by the reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), immunohistochemistry, and western blot analysis.
YY-moxi alone and YY-moxi combined with NAC significantly reduced the neurological scores and cerebral infarction area of the MCAO rats. Additionally, YY-moxi alone and the combined application of YY-moxi and NAC improved the pathological status of ischemic brain tissues. Further, we found that YY-moxi alone and YY-moxi in combination with NAC could enhanced the antioxidation ability and reduced the inflammatory response of the MCAO model rats. We also proved that YY-moxi alone and YY-moxi combined with NAC significantly suppressed apoptosis-related proteins in the MCAO model rats.
These findings indicate that YY-moxi exerts a protective effect on cerebral ischemic injury by reducing apoptosis. The study suggests that the mechanism may be related to its downregulating the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NK-κB).
中医已成为缺血性中风治疗的关键方向。本研究旨在探讨药熨 - 艾灸（YY - 艾灸）在缺血性中风中的潜在作用。
将75只Sprague - Dawley大鼠随机分为以下5组：（I）假手术组；（II）大脑中动脉闭塞模型（MCAO）组；（III）YY - 艾灸组；（IV）抗氧化剂（N - 乙酰半胱氨酸，NAC）组；（V）NAC + YY - 艾灸组。模型建立后，NAC组接受脑室内注射NAC，YY - 艾灸组接受YY - 艾灸，NAC + YY - 艾灸组接受这两种干预措施的联合治疗。确认神经功能缺损评分，并通过氯化三苯基四氮唑（TTC）染色检查脑梗死情况。在中风的缺血部位，应用末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶介导的dUTP缺口末端标记染色检查凋亡细胞。此外，通过逆转录定量实时聚合酶链反应（RT - qPCR）、免疫组织化学和蛋白质印迹分析研究缺血性脑内凋亡相关基因和蛋白表达。
单独使用YY - 艾灸以及YY - 艾灸与NAC联合使用均显著降低了MCAO大鼠的神经评分和脑梗死面积。此外，单独使用YY - 艾灸以及YY - 艾灸与NAC联合应用改善了缺血脑组织的病理状态。进一步研究发现，单独使用YY - 艾灸以及YY - 艾灸与NAC联合使用均可增强MCAO模型大鼠的抗氧化能力并降低其炎症反应。我们还证明，单独使用YY - 艾灸以及YY - 艾灸与NAC联合使用均显著抑制了MCAO模型大鼠中凋亡相关蛋白的表达。
这些发现表明，YY - 艾灸通过减少细胞凋亡对脑缺血损伤发挥保护作用。该研究表明其机制可能与其下调核因子κB（NK - κB）的表达有关。
