Effect Of "Tian Moxibustion" On Liver Fibrosis In Rats

Cutaneous theory plays an important role in Chinese Meridian theory, which was first described in the "Classic". Cutaneous is reflected in the twelve meridians of the body surface area, and also been spread qi of collaterals 《Su Wen·Cutaneous chapter》 says:"For cutaneous with meridians as discipline, after all alike". For the skin-collaterals-Meridian-Viscera is an organic whole, the external pathogenic factors or treatments can affect the cutaneous from the Ministry to the appropriate meridians and organs, so cutaneous theory provides a theoretical basis to external examination and therapy method. Rearches proved that Skin needles, moxibust ion and acupoint application all had an exact efficacy to diseases. This study focuses on one of the traditional Chinese medicine external treatment method-vesiculation to investigate the effect on rat liver fibrosis. Vesiculation is non-hot moxibust ion which stimulated acupoints by drugs, resulting in local congestion foam, stimulating qi meridians and organs function. In this study, refering to a number of clinical studies of ancient and modern literature after the pathological features and treatments of liver fibrosis (Hepatic fibrosis, HF) carried out a detailed analysis summary:Liver Fibrosis (HF) is defined by a variety of pathogenic factors caused liver connective tissue dysplasia, resulting in the pathological process outside the liver extracellular matrix diffuse excessive precipitation. Various causes of chronic liver disease,liver damage,liver cell necrosis may occur, secondary to inflammation and fibrosis, lobular further structural changes, fake leaflet and nodules, and through different channels the development of cirrhosis, caused by portal hypertension and liver failure and other serious consequences. Chronic liver disease,liver fibrosis, longer duration, the disease complex, treatment is difficult, so to find an effective and conven i ent method of anti-HF is very significant. Therefore this study under the guidance sheath theory, combined with the characteristics of day moxi bustion therapy and pathological features of HF, on the day of moxibustion. Prevention and Treatment of HF were observed in rats, and combined with the sheath theory tianjiu mechanism preliminary Discussion.The experimental researchObjectiveUnder the guidance of cutaneous theory, this research observes the prevention and treatment effect of HF in rats by vesiculating acupoints " GanShu and " QiMen" in order to discourse the mechanism of vesiculation to treat HF and provides experimental evidence for clinical application.Methods30 rats were randomly divided into three groups:normal group, model group, "Vesiculation" group. Carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) by intraperitoneal injection method of modeling HF rat model, "Vesiculation" group starts treatment from the first three weeks of modeling, twice a week, every six hours, a total of 4 weeks of treatment, the first 6 weekend coverage. Observation of the rats body weight, ver weight, ver index, ver pathology, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST); serum and liver of type Ⅲ procollagen (PC Ⅲ), Ⅳ collagen (Ⅳ-C), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN).Results3.1 Liver pathology ①HE staining:Normal group in light microscope showed lobule structural integrity, liver cell cord regularly arranged orderly, tight connection between the liver cells, radial distribution of sinusoidal and portal area without fibroblasts. Model group showed liver cell cord disorder, fibrous connective tissue hyperplasia formation interval fiber strip, showing false lobules,86% of liver f ibrosis stage 2-3, compared with normal group there was a significant difference. "Vesiculation" group showed periportal fibrous connective tissue proliferation and fiber intervals less than those in the model group 43% of liver fibrosis stage 2-3. There were significant differences with model group. ②Masson staining:Normal group showed clear lobular architecture, central venous and sinus hepatic portal area with a small amount of collagen fibers distribution; Model group showed between periportal and lobular thick collagen fibers have proliferated, there are a lot of different sizes to form pseudolobule. Semi quantitative score and image analysis were compared with normal group showed significant difference (p<0.01). "Vesiculation" groupshowed stellate-shaped thickening of the central vein, periportal fibrous septa format ion, fewer false lobules formatted. There were significant differences (p<0.01 or p<0.05) between semi-quantitative scoring and image analysis with the model group.3.2 Weigh、Liver wet weigh、Liver index:Compared with the normal group, model group weight loss (P<0.01), liver weight, liver index increased significantly, there was a significant difference (P<0.01), Vesiculation group weight lower than normal group (P<0.01), liver wet weight, liver index increased significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05); compared with the model group, Vesiculation group had decreased body weight (P> 0.05), liver weight, liver index decreased, there is a very significant difference (P<0.01).3.3 serum AST, ALT:Compared with the normal group, model group, serum AST, ALT levels were significantly increased, there was a significant difference (P <0.01), Vesiculation group AST, ALT levels increased significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05); compared with the model group, Vesiculation group serum AST levels decline, there is a very significant difference (P<0.01), decreased ALT levels were significantly (P<0.05).3.4 Serum HA、PCⅢ、Ⅳ-C、LN:Compared with normal group,elevated levels of serum PCⅢ, Ⅳ-C, HA, LN was significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05), Vesiculation group serum PCⅢ, Ⅳ-C, HA, LN levels with varying degrees of increased (P <0.01 or P<0.05); compared with the model group, lower Vesiculation group IV-C serum levels, there is a very significant difference (P<0.01), serum HA, LN, PCⅢ levels decreased significantly (P<0.05).3.5Liver HA、PCⅢ、Ⅳ-C、LN:Compared with normal group, the model group elevated liver PCⅢ,Ⅳ-C, HA, LN was significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05); Vesiculation group PCⅢ, Ⅳ-C, HA levels increased in varying degrees (P<0.01 or P<0.05), LN level and the normal group had no significant difference (P> 0.05). Compared with the model group, Vesiculation group HA levels decreased very significantly (P<0.01), PCⅢ, Ⅳ-C, LN levels decreased significantly (P <0.05).Conclusion:Vesiculation can improve the general condition of liver fibrosis in rats, decreased serum AST, ALT, serum and liver HA, PCⅢ, Ⅳ-C, LN level, significantly improved the liver pathology sheet HE and Masson, suggesting Vesiculation can effectively reduce the inflammation of the liver necrosis,minimizing liver fibrosis.It suggest that the application of cantharidin Vesiculation "Gan Shu, Qi Men," to prevent HF is effective.