Effect of Acupuncture on the Immunological Function in Hepatits B Virus Car

　　ChenJiam ra$# Chenffo te K znaoBin U m
　　Wg Xing I N
　　The First MuniciPal HosPitaI, Zhuzhou 412000 Hunan Province
　　A colltY88t stlldy on the effeds of manual acuPuncture and electrOacuPuncbe was
　　conducted in 60 cases Of cbroulc hepatitis B carriers. The resultS dentonstratd that the
　　twunoleglcal functfons, bOth cellular and humoral, were markedly regUlated as
　　evidenced by the negative tllrnover hes Of HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-IIBc and HBcAg, as wen

Since l993, we have treated 60 hePatihs The 90 cases in this series were seleCtod
　　B virus (HBV) cwhers with manual from our inPatdri dePfornt from Oct. l993
　　acuPunctUre or eleCtrOacuPunctUre. The to l998, who were diagnosed in accordance
　　changes in IgG, IgA, IgM, comPlemen C,, T- with the Beijing Criteria.l All the Patients wer
　　lyInPhocyte subsets and serum HBV markers fOund to have posihve HBsAg (through 2
　　wer comPared W those of the contrOl group consecutive exndnatiOns) but with no
　　(30 cases treated by routine medication). A abnormal symPtoms and signs. The general
　　rePortfollOws. data and serological findings of the HBV
　　Inarkers were shown in Table 1 and Tabe 2.
　　cnulcal Data
　　Table 1. General data
　　Manual acuPunctUre ElectroacuPunctUre Control (medication)
　　'
　　.
　　Sex: Inae l9 cases 20 cases 20 cases
　　female ll cases l0 cases l0 cases
　　Ase inyr. (avg')' l8-52 (33.0) l8-55 (33.8) l7-53 (33.7)
　　Disease course (in months) 6-32 6-36 6-38

Table 2. Positive results Of the serological markersfound in the 3 grouPs ofPatients

Manual 30 30 l6 3 28 24
　　Electroacupuncture 30 30 l6 '3 27 24
　　Control 30 30 1 l5 2 30 2l

Methods of beaboent Al the above 3 groups of patients were
　　Manual acuPunctUre grouP: Bilateral treated for 60 days before evaluating the
　　Zusani (ST 36) were PunctUred once a day theraPeutic effects.
　　with filiform staiuless stee needles (0.35 nun
　　in diotr and 75 nun in length). The IteinsObserved
　　Wrm Mcingeeducing method was HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, -anti-HBe,
　　adopted afle the needies were perpendicularly HBcAg, anti-IIBc were exndned by
　　inserted to a dePth of 1.5 cun. The needes radioinununoassay with the reagent kits
　　were retained for 20 Inin and medPulated by provided by Beijing North China Biotecboque
　　tWirling and tWisting 3-4 tims, each fOr 1-2 Institute befOre and after a 2-month treatmnt'
　　rm
　　min. HBsAg was exaInined quantitavely and the
　　EleCtroacuPunctUre grouP: A G6805-I rest, send-quantihavelY'
　　shmulator was used to genot a electric IInInUnogfobuljns (IgG, IgA, IgM) and
　　stimulus (4-5 tiInslsec). The insertion site, comPlement C3 were detennined with
　　.
　　method and retention time were the same as umdirechonal agar gel inunne diffosion.
　　those in the manual grOU but without twdrig T4ymPhcyte subsets in l6 cases of the
　　and twisting. The intensity was adjusted to manual grouP and 18 cases of the
　　evOke visible tWitch of the musc1es of the electroaCuPunctUre grouP wer detennined
　　.
　　lower legs wamn the patient's tolerance. with irnmnoenzyme assays before and ther
　　Contrul grou: 0.2g of Vit.C, 2 tabets of the treatmnt'
　　W.B, and 0.4g of inosine were Prescribed t.i.d. Liver functions were determined by
　　fororal twstration. serum gluedc-pyrUvic transaminase (GPT)

test, thyml turbdity test (m), tOtal billrubin ResultS
　　(SB) and one ndnue bilirubin (Sb) kinehc The changes in HBsAg level, the
　　assays for all of the 90 cases. negahve tUmover rates of HBsAg, HBeAg,
　　T-tCst, Chi-square tCst and ANOVA HBcAg, and anti-HBc, and the posihve
　　were used tO evaluare the results. CD4lCD, boover nds of anti-HBs and anti-HBe were
　　ratio was evaluatod with rank test. shown in Table 3-5.
　　Table 3. Changes in Hha level wil) in 3 grouPs ofparients
　　Group BefOre trCthent After treatfllent Difference
　　Manual 38.99fl5.56 30.27tl7.l8 8.93
　　ElectrOacupuncture 39.l3ll4.4l 21.4ool2.43 l7.73
　　Contro 4l.Ml4.03 40.03i13.90 l.07
　　The HBsAg level of the 3 grous was conIIol grouP (P0.05 and **P0.05). For anti-HBe, however, it was comPlement C, and the T-lymPhocyte subsetS
　　sigwhcantiy increased in cOmParison with that were shown in Table 6 and Table 7.

Table 6. Changes in IgG IgA, ng and comPlement C3 (gW x ax n=30)
　　IgG lgA IgM C3
　　GrouP -
　　Before tr After tr Before tr. After tr Before tr Mir tr BefOre tr After tr
　　Manual 7'3m'40* 1l.85l3.55 1.am.74 1.63so.75 l.92co.52 1.99to.56 1.06ed.32* l.45co.33
　　ElectroacupunctUre 7.21l2'30* 12.85l2.61 1.52co.61** 1.85ro.58 2.0lso.48 2.03ro.4l l.01so.28* l.48co.3l

Note: *P<0.01 **P<0.05
　　Table 7 Changes in TlymPhocyte subsets (x an
　　CD CD4 CD8 CDJCD,
　　Groun N --
　　Before tr After tr Before tr. After tI. Before tr After tr Before tr arer tr
　　Manual 16 70'8t5.l 72.3l5.0 47.5M.6* 52.lM.3 22.6l3.6** l9.2t3.3 2.l2co.48** 2.71so.59

Note: *P<0.0l **P<0.05
　　Changes in liver functions: GPT m serum H'bsAg level and the increased negative
　　SB and Sb wer normal in all the cases of the tUmover rates of HBeAg, anti-HBc, HBcAg,
　　,
　　3 grouPs before and after trCatWt, excePt one as well as the posihve tllmover the of the anti-
　　case of the control group whose ALT was HBe.
　　elevated at the late petiod of thes stUdy. The results of this stUdy demnstrates
　　that the bod celinlar and humoral
　　.
　　Discussion imInwhty"' can be regulated and enhanced by
　　The treAnnt of chronic hepatihs B is acuPunctUre at Zusanli (ST 36). As an
　　shll a difficult problem." 3 Since l993, we aukillary method, acuPunde esPeCially with
　　have achieved certain good effect by aPplying an electric shmulato is stwle and safe, and
　　acuPuncture in combnation with drugs to treat therefore, it is ideal 'fOr hePatitis B virus
　　the chredc cAners.4 In this study it is shown cAners.
　　that WunctUre can help increase the contents
　　of serum IgG, IgA, comPlement C3, increase References
　　the nUmbe of CDs and CD. cells and elevate l $$JrtF&MffiA$. dr$#&ghteg, l995; l3
　　the CD.lCD, ratio, while deCreasing the (4): 24l-247.
　　' number of CD8 cells. The theraPeutic effects in 2 A0W#, $' +U#n#A$m##-2 ffifr#tt
　　electroacuPuncture grouP was better than that LgiF& 30Mfftym$. th$#mghteg, l996;
　　in the manal group as shown in the decreased l4 (2): l2l-l22.