The effect of herb-partition moxibustion on Toll-like receptor 4 in rabbit aorta during atherosclerosis.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of Toll-like receptor (TLR4) inhibition in the delay of formation of atherosclerosis by herb-partition moxibustion.

Method: Seventy-five rabbits were randomly assigned to one of five groups: blank, atherosclerosis (AS) model, direct moxibustion, herb-partition moxibustion, and drug treatment. With the exception of the blank group, all rabbits were given a high-fat diet in addition to immunologic injury to create the AS model.

[On needle-sticking method].

Needle-sticking method has essential differences from stuck needle induced by acupuncture accident. This manipulation refers to the needle-sticking manifestation induced by twirling the needle in one direction after arrival of qi so as to tangle muscle fibers, which can combined with some compound methods such as trembling, shaking, flying, lifting, plucking, dragging and so on. It is effective for excessive syndrome, pain syndrome, arthralgia syndrome, etc.