Impact of Electroacupuncture Treatment on Quality of Life and Heart Rate Variability in Fibromyalgia Patients

This study examines the effects of electroacupuncture treatment on health-related quality of life and heart rate variability in women with fibromyalgia. Twenty women with fibromyalgia received a 10-week treatment with electroacupuncture. Primary outcome measures were the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire, and heart rate variability. Compared with pretreatment, there was a significant improvement in health-related quality of life; electroacupuncture significantly increases low frequency, low frequency/high frequency, and decreases high frequency, all indicating rise in sympathetic tone. Fibromyalgia patients showed a significant ( P < .05) improvement in pain, fatigue, morning tiredness, stiffness, anxiety, and depression on the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire scores; and physical function, physical role, body pain, general health, and vitality scores on the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire. These changes mainly in mental status scores could be related to a new autonomic balance with sympathetic predominance at the horary of the study.

Thermal analysis of platelet aggregation assessed by differential scanning calorimetry

Calorimetry is an analytical method that measures heat flow between a heat source and sample. The sample gains or losses heat based on physical or chemical composition. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) compares the results of heating a sample to those for heating a reference material. DSC then measures internal energy or a sample's calorific capacity. The aim of this study was to examine the thermal characteristics of platelet activation. Blood was obtained from human volunteers by venipuncture and collected in 5 ml siliconised and citronated vacutainer tubes. Platelet counts were measured using a hemocytometer. Platelet-rich (PRP) or platelet-poor plasma (PPP) was obtained by centrifugation. Ten microliters of PRP or PPP were placed into aluminum pans for DSC with or without activation by epinephrine (5.0 microM) or CaCl2 (50 microM). To avoid a spontaneous activation of platelets samples were kept frozen, after a 5 min period of stabilization, 5 microl of aggregation-inducing agent was added. Scans were initiated at a -12 degrees C after stabilization, with an increase of a 5 degrees C/min to a maximum of 60 degrees C. The experiments were performed on a TA Differential Scanning Calorimeter (New Castle, DE, USA). The difference in heat evolved between the PRP and PPP during the process of platelet activation was 253 J/g. The difference of heat flow in the activation of PRP versus PPP may correspond to an exothermic process involved in platelet aggregation.

Assessment of the vascular effects of PC6 (Neiguan) using the second derivative of the finger photoplethysmogram in healthy and hypertensive subjects

Indices obtained from the second derivative of the digital volume pulse waveform have been proposed to characterize vascular aging, arterial rigidity, and the effects of vasoactive drugs. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of manual needling of PC6 on SD(DVP) indices in healthy and untreated hypertensive subjects. AI, B:A, and D:A indices, based on the height of the wave components of SD(DVP), in 40 healthy subjects and 25 untreated hypertensive subjects were compared. DVP was obtained by measuring infrared light transmission through the finger. For each subject, 20-min-long DVP registration was obtained. PC6 was stimulated unilaterally by manual needling for 5 min (1-6 min). In each subject, pre-acupuncture DVP indices were compared to those of during acupuncture (1 vs. 4 min) and post-acupuncture (1 vs. 18 min). In healthy subjects, AI was significantly improved when comparing the pre- to the post-acupuncture values. In hypertensive subjects, the SD(DVP) indices improved significantly as follows: the AI index when the value of pre-acupuncture comparing to that of during acupuncture and post-acupuncture values; B:A and D:A indices when the pre-comparing to post-acupuncture values. There were significant differences between healthy and hypertensive subjects in AI, B:A, and D:A at baseline and in B:A in the during acupuncture period; there were no significant differences at post-acupuncture. These results indicate that manual needling of PC6 produced acute effects on vascular pathophysiology. Moreover, PC6 needling produced changes in SD(DVP) indices related to both large artery stiffness and the reflected wave originating in small arteries.

Evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect of Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) in different experimental models

Acute hypoglycemic effects of freeze-dried juice of Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) fruits were studied in healthy and alloxan-diabetic mice. C. ficifolia fruit administered by intraperitoneal route produced, in a dose-dependent manner, a significant decrease of the glycemia in healthy mice. Although oral route of C. ficifolia fruit juice also caused significant reductions of blood glucose levels in healthy mice, the effect was minor. The juice administered by intraperitoneal route showed an acute hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-diabetic mice. In addition, daily oral administration of this preparation showed a highly significant reduction of the glycemia after 14 days of treatment. Freeze- dried juice caused acute toxicity when administered intraperitoneally, and also when it was administered daily by the oral route.