Nano Biomedicine
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of Moxibustion on Body Core Temperature Responses in Rats

 Yoshihisa KOJIMA1, 2, Yoshinosuke HAMADA1, 3, 4, Naomasa KAWAGUCHI5, Seiji MORI1,
Kiyoshi DAITO4, Ayako UCHINAKA1, Naoya HAYAKAWA1, Kenji ARITA4,
Yoshitaka NAGASE2, 6, and Nariaki MATSUURA1
1 Department of Functional Diagnostic Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and Health Science, Osaka, Japan
2 Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Morinomiya University of Medical Sciences, Osaka, Japan
3 Department of Health Economics and Management, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
4 Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Osaka Dental University, Osaka, Japan
5 Department of Cardiovascular Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and Health Science, Osaka, Japan
6 Department of Oral Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
Nano Biomed 2014;6(1):12-20, (Jun 30)
Synopsis
We examined the neurological and pathological effects of moxibustion on body temperature in the rat by using in vivo physiological and pathological approaches. To mimic direct and indirect moxibustion, the forelimb skin of rats was stimulated by heat at 80 or 40°C. Heat at 40°C evoked rapid increases in rectal temperature and heart rate. Surgical and chemical sympathectomy antagonized these effects. In contrast, heat at 80°C evoked slow increases in rectal temperature and heart rate, as well as in blood tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. Although the concentrations of these pyrogens increased significantly, surgical and chemical sympathectomy antagonized these effects. Collectively these data demonstrate that moxibustion may increase body core temperature mainly through sympathetic nerve stimulation, and that low-temperature stimulation is more effec-tive than high-temperature treatment. Therefore, indirect moxibustion or moxibustion at low temperature is safer than direct moxibustion.

Key words: thermoreceptor, pyrogen, autonomic system

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