Objective To observe clinical therapeutic effects of warm needling and moxibustion on diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN） and their influence on nerve conduction velocity. Methods Fifty two cases were randomly divided into a treatment group （n =26） and a control group （n =26）. In addition to basic treatment for lowering blood sugar in both groups, Pǐshū （BL 20）, Shènshū （BL 23）, Huántiào （GB 30）, Zùsānlǐ （ST 36）, Yánglíngquán （GB 34）, Sānyīnjiāo （SP 6）, Tàixī （KI 3）, Qǔchí （LI 11）, Wàiguān （TE 5） and Hégǔ （LI 4） were selected for warm needling and moxibustion in the treatment group. Methycobal was intramuscularly injected in the control group. Clinical symptoms and conduction velocities of the tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve were compared before and after treatment. Results Warm needling and moxibustion could alleviate such clinical symptoms as numbness of limbs, pain and hypoesthesia, and obviously improve the conduction velocities of both tibial and common peroneal nerves. Conclusion Warm needling and moxibustion exhibit good therapeutic effects on diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Objective To investigate the mechanisms of acupuncture in accelerating regeneration of injured sciatic nerve, the effect of electroacupuncture （EA） at ＂Huantiao （环跳 GB 30）＂ and ＂Zusanli （足三里 ST 36）＂ on conduction velocity and mRNA expression of receptors of advanced glycation end products （RAGE） of the sciatic nerve were observed in experimental diabetic rats. Methods Streptozotocin was injected into the left abdomen in 30 male rats to establish diabetes mellitus （DM） models with hyperglycemia （〉16.7 mmol/L）. Thirty rats with DM were divided into a diabetes model group （group DM）, a Methycobal group （group MET） and an EA group （group EA）. Another 8 rats comparable in body weight and age were used as a normal control group （group NC）. General situation and blood sugar levels of all the rats were recorded, and the conduction velocities of the sciatic nerves were measured. RAGE mRNA expression of the sciatic nerve was detected by means of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR）16 weeks after treatment. Results After 16 weeks, the conduction velocities of the sciatic nerves were lowered in group DM, compared with those in group NC, indicating lesion of peripheral nerves. Compared with group DM, the conduction velocities of the sciatic nerves were significantly elevated in both group EA and group MET （P〈0.01 ）, and there was a significant difference between the two groups, showing superiority of EA to Methycobal （P〈0.01）. The RAGE mRNA levels of the sciatic nerves in group DM were significantly higher than those in group NC （P〈0.01）. The RAGE mRNA levels of the sciatic nerves in both group EA and group MET were remarkably lowered than those in group DM （P〈0.01）, and the decrease in group EA was more obviously than that in group MET （P〈0.01）. Conclusion EA may exert its therapeutic effects on diabetic perineuropathy （DPN） by way of regulating abnormal expression of RAGE mRNA in the sciatic nerve and allevia
