Clinical And Experimental Studies Of Moxa At Guanyuan On Effects Of The Chemotherapy Patients Vital Signs

ObjectiveTo explore effects of using direct moxa at Guanyuan acupoint in palliative care for cancer patients during the chemotherapyMethods1. In single blind, ramdomized controlled clinical trial, examined effects of using direct moxa at Guanyuan acupoint.24 gastric cancer patients undergoing post-operative chemotherapy at National Cancer Center of Mongolia were recruited and ramdomized into 2 groups:control and intervention. The intervention consisted of 25 min direct moxa at Guanyuan acupoint once a day for 5 days. The EORTC QoL 30 questionnaires were filled by the patients and self-designed patient assessment questionnaire based on MD Anderson Symptom Inventory were filled by blinded medical personal, before and after the chemotherapy. Study was approved by Ethical Committee of MOH of Mongolia.2. Using cyclophosphamide treated rodent model, we examined chemoprotective effects of moxa at Guanyuan. For the animal model,36 NIH mice (aged 8 week old, weight 20-22 g) after the adjustion in the environment, ramdomly divided into three groups:control, model and moxa. On the day 1,3,5 mice in model and treatment groups were treated with cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg, i.p). Control animals were injected with saline. Moxa at Guanyuan were given for 10 days. Effects of moxa at Guanyuan were studied by counting blood cells and T cell subsets in peripheral blood and histopathological changes in thymus and spleen.3. Explored the relationship between moxa at Guanyuan acupoint and Connexin 43 (Cx43) expression in the cyclophosphamide treated mice stomach by IHC method.Results1. The QoL of post-operative gastric cancer patients before chemotherapy were similar to reference value. Chemotherapy will significantly decrease patients QoL especially nausea & vomiting, appetite loss symptom scales. Moxa at Guanyuan had significantly decreased fatigue score of the post-operative chemotherapy gastric cancer patients (P<0.05) and positively regulated Global Health score and other symptom scales especially nausea & vomiting, appetite loss scores. During the treatment no adverse effects of moxa treatment were observed.2. Moxa at Guanyuan had chemoprotective effects by decreasing reduction of WBC, RBC count, increased thymus medullary area and cellularity, number and size of lymph nodes of the spleen.3. IHC analysis of cyclophosphamide treated mice stomach reveals moxa at Guanyuan decreased mucosal surface epithelium injury and reduction of parietal cell number. Strong connexin 43 expresion in gastric crypt were detected.ConclusionGuanyuan (CV 4) is Front-Mu Point of the Small Intestine, a crossing point of Three Yin Meridians of Foot, Stomach meridian of Foot Yang Ming and Conception Vessel. It is the one acupoint can gather qi of many meridians, which has Yin within the yang character and considered the physical center of gravity of the human body and seat of one's internal energy. Therefore it could warm the kidney to invigorate yang, tonify the Yuan-Primary qi, regulate Thoroughfare and Conception Vessels, thus can cultivate yuan-primary energy. Moxa is the non invasive treatment method of acupuncture and moxa at Guanyuan can be broadly used in cancer palliative care to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and improve quality of life of cancer patients.