The Observation of the Therapeutic Effect on the Patients with Gastrelcoma by the Treatment of Moxibustion

ABSTRACT: Gastric ulcer, a commonly frequently encountered disease, is called epigastralgia in the TCM. In modern medicine, it is caused by the infection of pylorus spiral bacillus, the gastric hyperacidity, and treated by the drugs of the controlling gastric acid, anticholine, antihistamines (HZ), protecting gastric mucous membrane, but the effect is not satisfactory. In this paper, thirty-four cases of gastrelcoma were treated by moxibustion on the Zusanli (ST 36), Gongsun (SP 4), Zhongwan (CV 12), and received a satisfactory therapeutic effect. The result showed that the therapeutic effect of the moxibustion group was better than that of the medicine group.

KEY WORDS: Gastrelcoma Moxibustion

Gastric ulcer, a commonly and frequently encountered disease, is called "epigastralgia" in the TCM, and it is characterized by long course of disease, repeated attack and protracted state of illness. In that paper, thirty-four cases of gastrelcoma were treated by moxibustion and a medicine group was used a control. The result showed that the therapeutic effect of the moxibustion group was better than that of the medicine group.

GENERAL DATA:
In the 34 patients with gastric ulcer, 18 men, 16 women; the age was between 20 and 64 years old, an average 36.4; the disease course between 2 and 18 years. The clinic symptoms were vague pain in the upper abdomen, belching, acid regurgitation and poor appetite. The existenec of gastric ulcer was confirmed by the examination of gastrocopy and X-ray. The other 36 patients with gastric ulcer were given Cimetidine orally as control group.

METHODS AND EVALUATION ON THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECT:
The patients in moxibustion group had been given treatment by moxibustion on Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12), Gongsun (SP 4) twice a day, twenty minutes on Zusanli, ten minutes on Zhongwan and Gongsun, one month as a treatment course. The moxibustion intensity was according to the acceptable ability of the patients. The control group was given 0. 2 g Cimetidine four times a day. The therapeutic effect was evaluated in the light of the Standard of the Therapeutic Effect which was set by the Ministry Of Health in 1981 (1 ) Cure: The symptoms vanish, and by the gastrocopy examination, the surface of the ulcer disappears, or scar formation. (2 ) Effectiveness: The symptoms disappear, or markedly improve, the surface of the ulcer reducing over one half. (3) Ineffectiveness: The effect is not attaining the above standards.

RESULTS:
The cured cases in the treatment group were 23 (67.6% ), the effective cases 9 (26. 5 % ), ineffective cases 2 (5. 9 % ), the total effective rate was 94. 1%; In the control group, the cured cases were 11 (30. 6% ), the effective cases 16 (44. 4 % ), ineffective cases 9 (25 .0% ), the total effective rate was 75 %. The cure rates and effective rates of the two groups were compared, X2 = 4. 83 and 9. 63 respectively, P < 0 .05, and there was a significant difference between them.

DISCUSSION:
The occurance mechanism of gastric ulcer epigastralgia in TCM: cold pathogen invading the stomach, diet damaging the stomach, liver-qi attacking the stomach, the deficiency of the spleen and stomach, etc.. Zusanli (ST 36), as the special effective point to treat stomach disease, has the effect of warming the middle-Jiao, dispelling the cold, alleviating the pain, preventing the vomit; Gongsun (SP 4), has the function to treat the spleen, stomach, and the chest, abdomen disease, specially for the symptoms of the gastralgia, tenderness, belch, vomit; Zhongwan (CV 12) is combined with above two points, which can function together to nourish middle-jiao and replenish qi, strength the spleen and adjust the stomach, invigorate the qi, relieve the pain. The modern medical study shows that it can improve the immune function, the blood circulation of gastric mucous membrane, lessen the secretion of gastric acid, help the healing of the wound by moxibustion on the Zusanli (ST 36) point. This is the reason that moxibustion on the above three points can treat gastrelcoma. In modern medicine, gastrelcoma is thought to be caused by the infection of pylorus spiral bacillus, the hyperacidity, and treated by the drugs of controlling gastric acid, anticholine, anti histamines (H2 ), protecting gastricmucous membrane medicines, the purpose is eliminating symptoms, facilitating the healing of the ulcer, lessening the accompanying disease. But the therapeutic effect was not as good as that of moxibustion group in this observation.

By Xu Wenlong