Influence of Small-cone Moxibustion on the Cellular Immunity in Adjuvant Arthritis Rats

Objective To explore the influence of small-cone moxibustion on the cellular immunity in adjuvant arthritis rats.Methods Rats model of adjuvant arthritis (AA) were made and randomized into control group, model group, moxibustion group, moxibustion-adrenal group, moxibustion-sham group; the acupoints Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36) were moxaed and the contents of IL-1, IL-2 and IL-6 were measured. Results The activities of macrophage IL-1 and IL-6 in abdominal cavity were higher in model group than in control group (P 0.01); they were lower in moxibustion group than in model group (P 0.05); they changed little in moxibustion-adrenal group (P 0.05); in sham operation group, the activities of IL-1 lowered obviously (P 0.01), and the activities of IL-6 lowed significantly in comparison with model group (P 0.05). In model group, the activities of IL-2 in the spleen lowed (P 0.05); in moxibustion group, the activities of IL-2 increased strikingly (P 0.01); in moxibustion-adrenal group, the activities of IL-2 had significant differences with moxibustion and sham operation groups (P 0.01), but with no difference with control group (P 0.05); in sham operation group, the activities of IL-2 increased obviously (P 0.01), with no difference with control group. Conclusion Small-cone moxibustion can inhibit the activities of IL-1 and IL-6 in AA rats; with the removal of adrenal gland, moxibustion cannot reduce the activities of IL-1 and IL-6; moxibustion can obviously enhance the activities of IL-2; with the removal of adrenal gland, moxibustion cannot alter the activities of IL-2; in the treatment of AA, moxibustion can improve the cellular immunity in AA rats, which is closely related to the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal gland axis.