Objective To observe the influence of acupuncture on hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis （HPOA） in rats with primary dysmenorrhea, and to explore its mechanisms. Methods Effects of acupuncture on the concentration level of β-endorphin （β-EP）, hypothalamic hormone （gonadotropin-releasing hormone, GnRH）, pituitary hormone （GnRH receptor GnRH-R, follicle stimulating hormone FSH, luteinizing hormone LH） and ovarian hormone （estrodiol E2, estrodiol receptor ER, progesterone P and progesterone receptor PR） were observed in dysmenorrheic rats. Results After receiving acupuncture treatment, the levels of 13- EP, GnRH, GnRH-R, FSH, LH, E2, ER, P and PR were changed, and this suggested that acupuncture had a regulative action on HPOA in dysmenorrheic rats. Conclusion The mechanism of acupuncture acting on the HPOA with primary dysmenorrhea might be its regulating role to the gonadal hormone of HPOA and its corresponding receptor expression.
Objective To explore the relationship between psychological factors and efficacy of acupuncture on primary dysmenorrhea. Methods Sixty cases of primary dysmenorrhea were observed. Before acupuncture treatment, the self-designed confidence questionnaire was used to assess patients＇ confidence in acupuncture efficacy. Visual Analogue Scale （VAS） was adopted to assess patients＇ tension level during acupuncture. Self-rating anxiety scale （SAS） and self-rating depression scale （SDS） were applied to assess the situations of patients＇ anxiety and depression. Eysenck＇s personality questionnaire （EPQ） and Cattell sixteen personality factors questionnaire （16PF） were provided to assess the personal characters of patients. Pain intensity, pain duration and accompanied symptoms were recorded before and after acupuncture treatment so as to assess the efficacy. Canonical correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the psychological factors and acupuncture efficacy on primary dysmenorrhea. Results There were significant differences in grading of dysmenorrhea, pain intensity score and pain duration after treatment as compared statistically with those before treatment （all P〈0.001）. The standardized coefficients of dominance （r=0.679 7） and anxiety （r=-0.590 6） in personality factors and the reduction of pain duration （r=-0.904 2） among efficacy indices were the highest. The overall correlation coefficients were all lower between the indices of psychological factors and canonical variables of dysmenorrhea efficacy. Conclusion Acupuncture efficacy on primary dysmenorrhea has a certain correlation with dominance and anxiety of patients＇ personality factors. But, the psychological factors do not play a leading role in acupuncture treatment.
