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Down-regulation of Protein and mRNA Expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1 in Colon Tissue of Ulcerative Colitis Patients by Partition-Herb Moxibustion

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Abstract

Our previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of partition-herb moxibustion on ulcerative colitis (UC) rats. However, the mechanism of actions of partition-herb moxibustion is still unclear. Most Chinese acupuncturists believe that partition-herb improves the effect of moxibustion therapy. However, this argument lacks confirming experimental and clinical evidence. So, whether partition-herb does play a role in the mechanism of actions of partition-herb moxibustion was reported in this paper. A total of 123 patients were randomly divided into the partition-herb moxibustion group and the control group (partition-bran moxibustion group). Fourteen patients dropped out of the study. Finally, 109 patients finished the intervention. Sixty-one patients with UC received partition-herb moxibustion and 48 patients with UC received partition-bran moxibustion for 72 treatments, one treatment per day, every 12 treatments with an interval of 3 days. The expressions of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the colonic mucosa tissue in mild patients with UC were assayed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Histology of the colon also was observed at entry and after 72 treatments. Clinical therapeutic effect in partition-herb moxibustion was significantly better than those in partition-bran moxibustion (P < 0.05). Protein and mRNA expression of IL-8, ICAM-1 in the patients was inhibited by both partition-herb moxibustion and partition-bran moxibustion, of those the inhibition in the partition-herb moxibustion group was more obvious (P < 0.01). Partition-herb moxibustion was shown to significantly improve the histology of the colon, and partition-herb was shown to improve the therapeutic effect of moxibustion on treatment of UC patients.

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Abbreviations

ICAM-1:

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1

IL-8:

Interleukin-8

UC:

Ulcerative colitis

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2009CB522900), Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (S30304), and the National Science Foundation of China (90709029).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Meridians, 650 South WanPing Road, Shanghai, 200030, People’s Republic of China

    En-Hua Zhou, Hui-Rong Liu, Huan-Gan Wu, Zheng Shi, Yi Zhu & Shuang Zhou

  2. Acupuncture Department, Xiamen Hosptial of T.C.M, Xiamen, 361001, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Zhang

  3. Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People’s Republic of China

    Da-Ren Shi

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  1. En-Hua Zhou
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  2. Hui-Rong Liu
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  3. Huan-Gan Wu
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  4. Zheng Shi
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  5. Wei Zhang
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Correspondence to Huan-Gan Wu.

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Zhou, EH., Liu, HR., Wu, HG. et al. Down-regulation of Protein and mRNA Expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1 in Colon Tissue of Ulcerative Colitis Patients by Partition-Herb Moxibustion. Dig Dis Sci 54, 2198–2206 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-008-0620-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-008-0620-4

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