Exploring The Effects Of Moxibustion On Yang Deficiency Constitution Based On The Energy Metabolism Of Ren And Du Meridians And Thyroid Hormones

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Moxibustion at Guanyuan and Shenque acupoints on the energy metabolism of the Ren and Du Meridians（Infrared Radiant Track along Meridian,Temperature,Microcirculatory Blood Perfusion,Tissue Oxygen Saturation）and Thyroid hormones in Yang Deficiency Constitution,and to explore the mechanism of action of Moxibustion to improve Yang Deficiency Constitution,in order to provide further experimental basis for clinical management of Yang Deficiency Constitution,and to provide new ideas for exploring the effect mechanism of Moxibustion.MethodsSubjects with Yang Deficiency Constitution were recruited and randomly divided into control group（n=27）and moxibustion group（n=27）.In the control group,only conventional health education was conducted;in the moxibustion group,moxibustion intervention was performed on the basis of health education,with each moxibustion at Guanyuan and Shenque points for30 min,once every other day,for 5 times,for a total of 2 courses of treatment.Before and after the intervention,the following tests were performed on the subjects in both groups:1)Yang deficiency transformation scores were calculated according to the Yang deficiency subscale;2)Infrared Radiant Track along Meridian（IRRTM）and body surface temperature of the Ren and Du Meridians were detected by Infrared Thermography;3)Laser scattered blood flow meter was used to detect the Microcirculatory Blood Perfusion Units（MBPU）of the Ren and Du Meridians using laser scattered flowmetry;4)Tissue Oxygen Saturation（StO₂）of the points on the Ren and Du Meridians using near-infrared spectroscopic oximetry;5)The content of Thyrotropin（TSH）,free Triiodothyronine（FT₃）and Thyroxine（FT₄）in the serum was measured using a fully automated chemiluminescent immunoassay.Results1.Changes in the Yang deficiency transformation scores before and after intervention in the two groups.（1）Intra-group comparisons:after intervention,the Yang deficiency transformation scores in the moxibustion group significantly decreased compared to before intervention（P<0.01）,while there was no statistical difference in the control group before and after intervention.（2）Inter-group comparisons:after intervention,the Yang deficiency transformation scores in the moxibustion group were significantly lower than that in the control group（P<0.01）.2.Changes in the IRRTM and body surface temperature of the Ren and Du Meridians before and after intervention in the two groups.（1）Intra-group comparisons:after intervention,the IRRTM of the Du Meridian in the moxibustion group was more significant compared to before intervention,but the IRRTM of the Ren Meridian was not significant.And there was no significant change in the IRRTM of the Ren and Du Meridians in the control group.In the moxibustion group,the body surface temperature of the meridian points of the Ren and Du Meridians was significantly higher than before intervention,the specific significance is as follows:the average body surface temperature of the Ren Meridian（P<0.01）,and Tiantu,Juque and Zhongwan acupoints（P<0.05）,Danzhong and Qihai acupoints（P<0.01）;the mean body surface temperature of the Du Meridian（P<0.01）,Dazhui acupoint（P<0.05）,Shenzhu and Zhiyang and Mingmen acupoints（P<0.01）.There was no significant difference in body surface temperature between the Ren and Du Meridians before and after intervention in the control group.（2）Inter-group comparisons:after intervention,compared with the control group,the body surface temperature of the Ren and Du Meridian points in the moxibustion group showed an upward trend after intervention,but the statistical difference has not yet been reached.3.Changes in the MBPU of the Ren and Du Meridians before and after intervention in the two groups.（1）Intra-group comparisons:after intervention,the mean MBPU of the Ren Meridian（P<0.01）and the MBPU of the Juque acupoint（P<0.01）in the moxibustion group were higher than before intervention.And the MBPU of the Mingmen acupoint of the Du Meridian was significantly higher than others before intervention（P<0.01）,while there was no significant difference in other meridian points.There was no significant difference in the Ren and Du Meridians points before and after intervention in the control group.（2）Inter-group comparisons:there was no significant difference in the MBPU of the Ren and Du Meridians before and after intervention in the two groups.4.Changes in the StO₂in the Ren and Du Meridians points before and after intervention in the two groups.（1）Intra-group comparisons:after intervention,the StO₂levels of Qihai acupoint（P<0.05）,the Dazhui and Zhiyang acupoints（P<0.05）,and the Mingmen acupoint（P<0.01）of the Ren and Du Meridians in the moxibustion group were significantly higher than before intervention,while there was no significant differences at other acupoints.There was no significant difference in the above acupoints of the Ren and Du Meridians before and after intervention in the control group.（2）Inter-group comparisons:compared with the control group,the StO₂of Tiantu acupoint in the moxibustion group was significantly increased after intervention（P<0.05）,while there was no obvious difference in other acupoints.5.Changes in the thyroid hormones before and after intervention in the two groups.（1）Intra-group comparisons:there was no significant difference in the content of TSH,FT₃ and FT₄in the serum of moxibustion group before and after intervention;the content of FT₃in the control group significantly increased compared to before intervention（P<0.05）,and there was no significant difference in the content of TSH and FT₄.（2）Inter-group comparisons:compared with the control group,there was no statistically significant difference in the content of TSH,FT₃,and FT₄in the serum of the moxibustion group before and after intervention.Conclusions1.Moxibustion at Guanyuan and Shenque acupoints has a good effect on the improvement of Yang deficiency constitution,which provides a test basis for enriching the theoretical connotation of“seeking Yang in Yin”in Chinese medicine.2.Moxibustion at Guanyuan and Shenque acupoints may improve Yang deficiency constitution by regulating the tissue temperature,Microcirculatory Blood Perfusion and Tissue Oxygen Saturation of the Meridians,thus improving the energy metabolism of the Meridians and reducing the body’s need for heat production through thyroid hormones regulation.