Characteristics Of Temperature And Its Effect On Skeletal Muscles In Rats Between Inner Heating Needle And Chinese Silver Needle

Objective:To investigate the temperature characteristics and its effect on skeletal muscles and expression of vimentin and desmin between inner heating needle and Chinese silver needle for suitable temperature.Methods:1 Inner heating needle was heated with electric resistance inside needle. Chinese silver needle was heated with electric instrument outside needle (E) and moxa (M) (uncontrollable temperature) respectively. Two temperature points were set on each needle:42℃and 50℃for inner heating needle,110℃and 130℃for silver needle (E),8cm and 10cm length for silver needle (M).2 Temperature was measured with a semiconductor thermodetector at the zero, fifth, tenth, fifteenth, twentieth minute after heating in turn. (1) every 2cm sites from the tip to the end under room temperature (23℃) (2) every 1cm sites from the tip to the spot on muscle surface (4cm deep) of needles in isolated skeletal muscles of pigs (23℃) (3) the tip, the spot on skin and the midpoint of needles in rat muscles.3 Fifty-seven Wistar rats were divided into six experimental groups and one control group randomly. Both triceps muscle of calf of rats in experimental groups were pricked into 3cm with needles of six different temperatures respectively.Rats in control group weren't treated. Rats were executed two days, two weeks and four weeks after therapy. Muscles near the tip were picked and histological changes were observed by HE stain. Expression of vimentin and desmin were observed by immunohistochemistry and analyzed quantifily.4 All analysis was performed by SPSS statistical software. T test and ANOVA were applied to compare temperature between two groups and among six groups respectively.Results:1 Temperatures of silver needle ascended first and descended later in vitro and vivo when heated with moxa, while fluctuated little in vitro and kept steady in vivo when heated with electric instrument outside needle. They both decreased gradually from the tail to the tip. However, temperatures of inner heating needle kept steady in vitro, while ascended slowly in vivo. They were divided into three zones:the tip,2cm to 6cm and the end.2 Tip temperature of silver needle (M) decreased 7.6℃with 2cm increase of needle length out of body. Tip temperature of silver needle (E) increased 1.2℃with 20℃increase of setting temperature. However, temperature on tip of inner heating needle increased 4.8℃with 8℃increase of setting temperature.3 Rat muscles in all experimental groups appeared degeneration, necrosis, regeneration and scar repair. Muscle injury was serious in 50℃inner heating needle group and 8cm silver needle group, with tip temperature 41.6℃-43.4℃, and scar repair was obvious. However, muscle injury was mild and regeneration was obvious in the other four groups, with tip temperature 35.8℃-37.5℃.4 Expression of vimentin and desmin in 50℃inner heating needle group and 8cm silver needle group was less than the other four groups observed by immunohistochemistry (P<0.05).Conclusion:ⅠTemperature characteristics of inner heating needle are different from that of Chinese silver needle. Temperature of inner heating needle can be controlled more easily than that of Chinese silver needle.2 Degeneration-regeneration of muscle cells were observed after treating with inner heating needle and Chinese silver needle. The optimum temperature on the tip of needle should be about 37℃.3 Temperature of inner heating needle should be set about 42℃.