This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects and safety of Hunyuan moxibustion in treating diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome （ IBS-D） with Spleen-Kidney Yang deficiency.
Methods
A total of 60 IBS-D patients with Spleen-Kidney Yang deficiency，who visited the Acupuncture Department and Gastroenterology Department of Nanchang Hongdu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） from March 2021 to March 2023 were recruited. Participants were randomly divided into Group I （treated with moxibustion first and then western medicine，30 cases） and Group II （treated with western medicine first and then moxibustion，30 cases）. This study adopted a randomized crossover design，in which each participant received both treatments. Hunyuan moxibustion was administered once daily，five times per week，for two weeks. Western medicine consisted of oral pinaverium bromide tablets （one tablet，three times per day，for two weeks）. A two-week washout period was set between the two treatment phases.When conducting the result statistics and analysis，they were respectively named as the Hunyuan moxibustion group and the western medicine group. Primary outcomes included symptom scores and TCM syndrome scores，assessed before and after treatment. The clinical efficacy and safety of the interventions were also evaluated.
Results
There were statistically significant differences in symptom scores and TCM syndrome scores between the two groups after treatment （F ＝ 24.963，8.522，24.049，27.434，23.946，12.992，371.200，P＜0.05）. In the first treatment stage，the total effective rate of the Hunyuan moxibustion group was 86.7% （26/30），while that of the western medicine group was 60.0% （18/30）. There was a statistically significant difference in the total effective rate between the two groups （χ2 ＝5.455，P ＜0.05）. In the second treatment stage，the total effective rate of the Hunyuan moxibustion group was 83.3% （25/30），while that of the western medicine group was 43.3% （13/30）. There was a statistically significant difference in the total effective rate between the two groups （χ2 ＝10.335， P ＜0.05）.
Conclusion
Hunyuan moxibustion is an effective and safe treatment for IBS-D with Spleen-Kidney Yang deficiency，demonstrating superior efficacy compared to western medicine. It holds promise for clinical application and further research.
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Dong′s Extraordinary Acupoints in treating mammary hyperplasia caused by liver stagnation and phlegm congealing.
Methods
A total of 60 patients diagnosed with this condition at the Gynecology Outpatient Department of Tongling Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2021 to February 2023 were randomly assigned into a treatment group （n＝30） and a control group （n ＝30）. The treatment group underwent acupuncture at bilateral Outer Sanjiao （Dong′s Extraordinary Acupoints），Zusanli （ST 36），Fenglong （ST 40），Sanyinjiao （SP 6），Hegu（LI 4），and Taichong （LR 3）. Acupuncture was performed once daily from the first day after menstruation until the next menstrual cycle，with treatment paused during menstruation. The control group received oral Hongjin Xiaojie Capsules （4 capsules per dose，three times daily，excluding menstrual periods）. Both groups were treated for three months. Changes in breast pain scores and breast mass diameters before and after treatment were assessed. The clinical efficacy and safety of the interventions were also evaluated.
Results
The total effective rate in the treatment group was 93.3% （28/30），significantly higher than 73.3% （22/30） in the control group （χ2 ＝4.320， P＜0.05）. After treatment，both groups showed significant reductions in breast pain scores and breast mass diameters compared to baseline（t＝9.175，7.413，6.637，3.452， P＜0.05）. However，no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups after treatment （t ＝-1.470，-1.924， P＞0.05）.
Conclusion
Both Dong′s Extraordinary Acupoint Acupuncture Method and Hongjin Xiaojie Capsules effectively relieve breast pain，reduce breast lumps，and improve treatment outcomes. The therapeutic efficacy of these two approaches is comparable，offering viable treatment options for mammary hyperplasia due to liver stagnation and phlegm congealing.
Post-stroke cognitive impairment（PSCI），a common complication of stroke，significantly reduces patients′quality of life. The brain-gut axis is a bidirectional communication network between the brain and the gut，mediating complex interactions through neural，endocrine，and immune pathways. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM），the concept of the gut-brain axis aligns closely with the Zang-fu Organs and Meridian theories. This study explores the theoretical foundation of Tiaoshen Yizhi acupuncture for PSCI by integrating insights from the brain-gut axis with TCM principles，It is proposed that Tiaoshen Yizhi acupuncture enhances cognitive function by regulating spleen and stomach functions，promoting the generation and circulation of qi and blood，tonifying the liver and kidney，and harmonizing the mind and enhancing intelligence. By addressing both neurological and gastrointestinal dysfunctions，this approach provides a novel perspective for the integrated treatment of PSCI with Chinese and western medicine.
This study combines pairwise Meta-analysis and network Meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of different acupuncture therapies in treating postoperative upper limb lymphedema（BCRL） after breast cancer surgery and to assess the optimal acupoint selection strategies.
Methods
A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases，including CNKI，Wanfang，VIP，ChiCTR，Web of Science，Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials （CENTRAL），Embase，PubMed，and Mednar，covering studies published up to May 31，2024. Randomized controlled trials（RCTs） investigating acupuncture interventions for BCRL were included. Two independent reviewers screened the literature，extracted data，and assessed the risk of bias. Data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0.
Results
A total of 1624 articles were identified and 9 RCTs with a combined sample size of 452 participants were included.Meta-analysis revealed that manual acupuncture alone showed no significant difference in reducing arm circumference of the affected limb at the upper 10 cm of the elbow when compared with the control group ［MD＝-1.3，95% CI （-2.71，0.10）， P＝0.07］. Similarly，no significant difference was observed in wrist circumference reduction between the warm acupuncture or force-dynamic acupuncture groups and the blank control group ［MD ＝-0.13，95% CI （0.37，0.11）， P ＝0.09］. Furthermore，warm acupuncture did not demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in the difference between wrist circumference and the circumference 5 cm above the wrist compared to the blank control group ［MD＝0.07，95% CI （-0.29，0.43），P＝0.35］. However，warm acupuncture showed a significant advantage over diosmin tablets in improving the lymphatic edema index ［MD ＝27.63，95% CI （24.73，30.52）， P＜0.001］. Network Meta-analysis results indicated that among different acupoint selection strategies，distal-proximal acupoint combination exhibited the highest cumulative probability of effectiveness （83.3%），followed by waiting treatment （66.9%），drug therapy（48.8%），and local acupoint selection （1.0%）.
Conclusion
Warm acupuncture is effective in alleviating BCRL symptoms，and the distal-proximal acupoint combination is recommended as the preferred acupoint selection strategy. However，due to the limited number and variable quality of the included literature，further high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm these findings.
This study employs modern data mining techniques to analyze the acupuncture prescription patterns for stroke treatment in The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion.
Methods
The primary literature source was the 1983 edition of The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion，published by the People′ s Medical Publishing House. A combination of manual and computerized searches was conducted to extract relevant entries related to acupuncture treatment of stroke.Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria，the acupoint data were compiled into a specialized database. Statistical analysis of acupoint frequency and meridian distribution was performed using Excel 2021.Additionally，acupoint association rule analysis and cluster analysis were conducted using SPSS Modeler 18.0 and SPSS Statistics 25. 0. Finally，a complex co-occurrence network of high-frequency acupoints was visualized using Cytoscape 3.9.1.
Results
A total of 68 acupuncture prescriptions were identified，involving 86 acupoints with acumulative frequency of 293 occurrences. The most frequently used acupoints （ ≥12 occurrences） were Hegu （ LI 4），Baihui （ GV 20），Quchi （ LI 11），and Zusanli （ ST 36）. The most commonly targeted meridian was the Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian （56 occurrences，19.11%），followed by the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian （47 occurrences，16.04%） and the Governor Vessel（41 occurrences，13.99%）. The core acupoint pairs identified were Zusanli（ST 36）-Quchi （ LI 11） and Zusanli （ST 36）-Hegu（LI 4）. Cluster analysis revealed four distinct acupoint groupings： Dicang （ST 4）-Jiache （ST 6）-Renzhong （GV 26），Quchi （LI 11）-Xuanzhong （GB 39）-Jianyu （LI 15）-Zusanli （ST 36）-Kunlun （BL 60），Yanglingquan （GB 34）-Xingjian （LR 2）-Fengshi （GB 31），and Hegu （LI 4）-Shenmai（BL 62）.
Conclusion
The analysis revealed that stroke treatment in The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion primarily follows the “regulating Yangming” principle，with a predominant focus on Yangming meridian acupoints. The prescription strategy integrates both local and distal acupoint selection while emphasizing the use of the Three Yang Meridians and the Governor Vessel. These findings provide valuable insights for modern clinical acupuncture practice in stroke treatment.
To assess the reporting quality of randomized controlled trials （RCTs） on acupuncture for posterior circulation ischemic vertigo （PCIV） using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool，the CONSORT statement，and the STRICTA guidelines.
Methods
A systematic search was conducted in CNKI，Wanfang，VIP，SinoMed，PubMed，Embase，and the Cochrane Library for RCTs on acupuncture treatment for PCIV published between January 1，2011，and November 27，2023. Eligible studies were screened，relevant data were extracted，and reporting quality was evaluated according to the three assessment tools.
Results
A total of 162 RCTs were included，with 158 published in Chinese and 4 in English. Based on the Cochrane risk of bias assessment，62.96% of studies had a low risk of bias in sequence generation，while only 9.26% had a low risk in allocation concealment. Blinding was poorly reported，with only 2.47% of studies assessed as low risk for blinding of participants and personnel，and 3.09% for blinding of outcome assessors.Meanwhile，94.44% of studies had a low risk of attrition bias，but all studies had unclear risk for selective reporting. Only 1.23% of studies were assessed as low risk for other biases.According to the CONSORT statement，70.27% of reporting items had an adherence rate below 50%，while only 8.11% had a reporting rate above 95%，and 37.84% had a reporting rate below 5%. Similarly，under the STRICTA guidelines，41.18% of reporting items had an adherence rate below 50%，5.88% had a reporting rate above 95%，and 17.65% had a reporting rate below 5%.
Conclusion
The overall reporting quality of RCTs on acupuncture for PCIV remains suboptimal，which undermines the credibility of the evidence. Future studies should adhere more rigorously to the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool，the CONSORT statement，and the STRICTA guidelines to improve reporting transparency and methodological quality.
Allergic rhinitis is a chronic，non-infectious disease of nasal mucosa，with an increasing prevalence. Its persistent and recurrent courses significantly impact patients′ quality of life.Based on the functional and physiological connections between the brain and the nose，Professor Ni Guangxia has advocated a treatment principle that simultaneously regulates brain function and promotes lung function to clear nasal passages. Drawing from his extensive clinical experience，he has developed the Tiaoshen Tongqiao Acupuncture Method，which harmonizes both body and mind，restores the balance of Qi and blood，and strengthens the body′s defenses against pathogenic invasion to address the root cause of allergic rhinitis.Additionally，by selecting specific acupoints along the meridians to promote lung function and open nasal passages，this method effectively alleviates symptoms and helps prevent recurrence. This article provides an indepth analysis of Professor Ni′s clinical approach to offer new insights into the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） theories of Zang-fu Organs and Meridians with modern research，Professor Ni Guangxia identified the brain as the primary site of insomnia，with “dysregulation of brain spirit” as the core pathogenesis. Based on the intricate relationship between insomnia，the brain，the Governor Vessel （ Du Mai），and the five visceral spirits，he innovatively developed the “Tongdu Anshen”（Governor Vessel-Regulating and Spirit-Calming） acupuncture method，establishing the treatment principle of “Regulating the Governor Vessel to harmonize the brain，governing the Zang-Organs to calm the mind＂. This method primarily targets the Governor Vessel and key acupoints at the skull base，complemented by Jiaji （paravertebral） points and acupoints from the Yangqiao and Yinqiao vessels，forming a three-tiered regulatory system： Governor Vessel acupoints harmonize the Yuan Shen （primary spirit） to calm the five Zang-Organs，key acupoints at the skull base activate Qi circulation and regulate the “Marrow Sea”（the brain），and Jiaji and Qiao Vessel acupoints coordinate the Zang-fu organs and nourish the Yuan Shen.By employing a dual-regulation mechanism：“Harmonizing the Governor Vessel to soothe the mind，and regulating the Zang-Organs to cultivate the spirit”，this approach offers a comprehensive treatment strategy for both the symptoms and root causes of insomnia.
