School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang 330053, China.
2 Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Shanghai Eighth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200235, China.
J Tradit Chin Med. 2023 Feb;43(1):113-123. doi: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2023.01.010.
To investigated the effects of suspended moxibustion stimulating Shenshu (BL23) and Guanyuan (CV4) acupoints on the amygdala and HPA axis in our rat model and elucidated the possible molecular mechanisms of moxibustion on kidney- deficiency symptom pattern (KYDS).
Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group ( 12) and an experimental group ( 48). Rats in the experimental group were given intramuscular injections of hydrocortisone to establish a KYDS model. The 48 rats successfully modeled were then randomly divided into a model group (model, 12), a carbenoxolone intraperitoneal injection group (CBX, 12), a moxibustion group (moxi, 12), and a moxi + CBX group ( 12). In the moxi, the Shenshu (BL23) and Guanyuan (CV 4) acupoints were treated with moxibustion for 14 d. After treatment, measures were taken of serum levels of corticosterone (CORT), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). The expression of mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs), glucocorticoid receptors (GRs), 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), CRH, and ACTH in the rats' amygdala, hypothalamus, or pituitary (as appropriate) was detected. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance.
Compared with those of the control group, the serum levels of CRH, ACTH, and CORT; the mRNA and protein expressions of MR, GR, and 11β-HSD1 in the amygdala; the mRNA and protein expressions of 11β-HSD1 in the hypothalamus; the CRH mRNA expression in the amygdala and hypothalamus; and the ACTH mRNA expression in the pituitary of the rats in the model group were all significantly decreased (0.05 or 0.01). After treatment with moxibustion, all the aforementioned observation indices except for 11β-HSD1 mRNA expression were ameliorated compared with those in the model group (0.05 or 0.01).
Suspended moxibustion can effectively improve the serum levels of ACTH, CRH, and CORT and can up-regulate the mRNA and protein expressions of MR, GR, 11β-HSD1, CRH, and ACTH in the amygdala and hypothalamus of KYDS rats. This may be one of the molecular mechanisms with which moxibustion alleviates KYDS.
观察悬灸双侧肾俞（BL23）、关元（CV4）穴对肾虚证模型大鼠杏仁核及 HPA 轴的影响，初步探讨艾灸防治肾虚证的作用机制。
60 只雄性 SD 大鼠随机分为正常对照组（12 只）和造模组（48 只）。造模组大鼠双侧臀部肌肉注射地塞米松磷酸钠注射液建立肾虚证模型，将成功造模的 48 只大鼠随机分为模型组（12 只）、灌胃 carbenoxolone 组（CBX，12 只）、艾灸组（12 只）、艾灸+灌胃 carbenoxolone 组（12 只）。艾灸组大鼠给予双侧肾俞、关元穴悬灸，每日 1 次，每次 30 min，共治疗 14 d。治疗结束后，检测各组大鼠血清皮质酮（CORT）、促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）、促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素（CRH）水平，采用免疫组化法、Western blot 法、实时荧光定量 PCR 法检测大鼠杏仁核、下丘脑、垂体组织中糖皮质激素受体（GR）、盐皮质激素受体（MR）、11β-羟类固醇脱氢酶 1（11β-HSD1）、CRH、ACTH 的蛋白及 mRNA 表达。
与正常对照组比较，模型组大鼠血清 CORT、ACTH、CRH 水平及杏仁核组织中 MR、GR、11β-HSD1 的蛋白及 mRNA 表达，下丘脑组织中 11β-HSD1 的蛋白及 mRNA 表达，杏仁核和下丘脑组织中 CRH 的 mRNA 表达，垂体组织中 ACTH 的 mRNA 表达均显著降低（P<0.05 或 P<0.01）；与模型组比较，艾灸组大鼠上述观察指标除 11β-HSD1mRNA 表达外，其余均有不同程度改善（P<0.05 或 P<0.01）。
悬灸双侧肾俞、关元穴可有效改善肾虚证模型大鼠血清 ACTH、CRH、CORT 水平，上调杏仁核、下丘脑组织中 MR、GR、11β-HSD1、CRH、ACTH 的蛋白及 mRNA 表达，这可能是艾灸防治肾虚证的作用机制之一。
