Objective: To study the effect of warm moxibustion of "Shenshu" (BL 23) on cold accumulation and blood stasis syndrome in rats.

Methods: 24 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group (n=8), model group (n=8) and moxibustion group (n=8). Animals of the latter two groups were kept in cold laboratory environment at 3 -6t and 3 -4 scale wind for 14 days to develop a model of cold accumulation and blood stasis syndrome. Animals of moxibustion group were treated with warm moxibustion by using an ignited special moxa roll to stimulate "Shenshu" (BL 23) for 15 min, once every day 7 times altogether On the 21st day of each experiment, the rats were killed for collecting blood samples and brain tissues. Then data of haemorheology, metabolism of oxygen free radical and some central neurotransmitters were determined.

Results: (l) Moxibustion of "Shenshu" (BL 23) could improve symptoms of cold accumulation and blood stasis syndrome in rats, including increase of activity and food intake as well as body weight, reddening of the auricular region and labial part which suggested amelioration of blood circulation and general condition; (2) Moxibustion cou1d rectify abnormality and disorder of hemorheology. After moxibustion treatment, values of plasma specific viscosity (hb), blood high shearing specific viscosity and low shearing specific viscosity (hb), red blood cell aggregation exponent (RE) and hematocrit (HT) in moxibustion group were remarkably lower than those of the model group (P< 0.05 -0.0l); while those of model group were significantly higher than normal group (P <0.0l). There were no significant differences between moxibustion group and normal group in haemorheological parameters; (3) Moxibustion could promote elimination of oxygen free radical. The activity of SOD in serum and brain tissues of model group was significanly lower than that of normal group (P<0.0l), but the malonlydialdehyde (MDA) content of the model group was apparently higher than that of normal group (P<0.01). In comparison with model group, SOD activity increased markedly while MDA level decreased strikingly (P<0.0l); (4) Moxibustion was able to regulate the level of some neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus. In model group, contents of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), nitric oxide in the hypothalamus tissues of cold accumulation and blood stasis syndrome rats increased significantly in comparison with normal group (P<0.0l). After moxibustion treatment, NE and DA contents of moxibustion group were significantly lower than those of model group(P<0.05).

Conclusion: Moxibustion is capable of promoting blood circulation by eliminating blood stasis which is closely associated with its resultant improvement of hemorheology elimination of oxygen free radical, regulation of neuroendocrine, and stabilization of the internal environment, etc.

By Tang Zhaoliang, SongXaoge, Yuan Jing