ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) of “Shangjuxu”(ST37) underlying improvement of colonic dysmotility in ulcerative colitis (UC) mice through regulating cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel 2 (HCN2).MethodsMale C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control, model and EA groups, with 8 mice in each group. The UC model was established by giving 2.5% Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) to the mice. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 0.9 mA) was applied at bilateral ST37 for 20 min, once a day for 7 days. The body weight, stool appearance and bloody stool conditions were recorded and the disease activity index (DAI) score was determined. The morphological changes of the colonic tissue were observed after H.E. staining. The changes of colonic motility before and after EA intervention were assessed by using in vivo and in vitro electrophysiological methods. The colonic transit time (glass bead method) and intestinal propulsion rate (ink mark method) were calculated. The immunofluorescence intensity values of colonic hyperpolarization activated HCN2, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), and serotonin transporter (SERT) were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The expression levels of TPH1 and SERT mRNAs and proteins were detected using real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot separately. The Vil1MerCreMer mice were randomly divided into a control group and an induction group, with 8 mice in each group. The Vil1MerCreMer mice were specifically conditionally knocked out of the HCN2 gene in the intestinal epithelium. The mice in the induction group were injected with 5 mg/mL tamoxifen. ELISA was used to detect the contents of 5-HT and cyclic nucleotides (cAMP) in the serum; real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of HCN2 and TPH1 mRNA in the colon. The RIN-14B cells were divided into a normal group and a transfection group. The transfection group knocked down the expression of HCN2 in the RIN-14B cells. ELISA was used to detect the expression of 5-HT and cAMP in the cell supernatants.ResultsIn contrast to the control group, the model group showed a significant decrease in the body weight and a notable increase in the DAI score and histopathological score (all P<0.001). In vivo and ex vivo electrophysiology showed that DSS mice had significant colonic motility dysfunction, decreased frequency, amplitude, and the area under the curve (AUC) of colonic pressure curves (all P<0.001). Colonic transit time was strikingly prolonged while propulsion rate was significantly lower in DSS mice (all P<0.001). Colonic HCN2, co-localized with 5-HT, was markedly increased in the expression (P<0.001), along with elevated expression of 5-HT, TPH1 and SERT (all P<0.001). All the increase and decrease of the indexes mentioned above were reversed by EA ( P<0.001, P<0.01,P<0.05). Conditional deletion of HCN2 in the intestinal epithelium markedly reduced the serum contents of 5-HT and cAMP ( P<0.001). Knockdown of HCN2 in RIN-14B cells reduced the expression levels of HCN2 and TPH1 mRNAs (P<0.001), along with a significant decrease of the contents of 5-HT and cAMP in the cell supernatant (P<0.001).ConclusionEA at ST37 can improve colonic motility in UC mice by modulating the expression of HCN2 in EC cells and regulating the release of 5-HT.
BackgroundRecurrent implantation failure (RIF) presents significant clinical and psychological challenges. While acupuncture is a potential adjunctive therapy during embryo transfer (ET), comprehensive evidence regarding its multidimensional effects remains limited. This study systematically evaluates acupuncture’s impact on pregnancy outcomes, endometrial receptivity, and psychological status in RIF patients.MethodsWe performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture + ET with ET alone in patients with RIF. Eight major databases were searched from inception through October 2025. Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.ResultsFourteen RCTs involving 1,428 patients were included. Regarding clinical efficacy, acupuncture + ET significantly increased the clinical pregnancy rate (relative risk [RR] = 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.51, 1.99], p < 0.001), the embryo implantation rate (RR = 1.69, 95% CI [1.34, 2.13], p < 0.001), and the live birth rate (RR = 1.82, 95% CI [1.16, 2.86], p = 0.009), while reducing the miscarriage rate (RR = 0.40, 95% CI [0.17, 0.97], p = 0.04). In terms of endometrial receptivity, acupuncture significantly increased endometrial thickness (mean difference [MD] = 1.20, 95% CI [0.75, 1.66], p < 0.001) and reduced the endometrial pulsatility index (MD = −0.49, 95% CI [−0.93, −0.06], p = 0.03) and resistance index (MD = −0.21, 95% CI [−0.30, −0.13], p < 0.001). Furthermore, significant reductions in Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale scores were observed (MD = −5.89, p = 0.02 and MD = −6.83, p = 0.003, respectively). However, the certainty of evidence ranged from very low to moderate due to methodological limitations and high heterogeneity.ConclusionAcupuncture may be a promising adjunctive therapy for RIF patients undergoing ET. However, the current evidence is constrained by significant methodological limitations. These results support the clinical integration of acupuncture into multidisciplinary RIF management but should be further confirmed by multicenter, rigorously blinded trials with standardized protocols and long-term outcome assessments.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=1237224, the Unique Identifier is PROSPERO CRD420251237224.
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are progressive disorders characterized by neuronal degeneration in the central nervous system (CNS), ultimately leading to neurological dysfunction. Neurodegenerative progression is often associated with structural and functional alterations in perineuronal nets (PNNs). With the continuous advancement of sequencing technologies and omics disciplines, numerous techniques have been widely applied to studies on PNNs. Research on PNNs is beneficial for understanding the pathogenesis and clinical diagnosis of NDs and finding new drug treatment targets. In this review, we paid attention to these omics technologies used in PNNs and also summarized some alterations in PNNs in NDs.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) share a common etiology as inflammatory diseases characterized by barrier deterioration. The aim of this study is to elucidate how neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), serving as a comorbid etiological factor, can trigger the dysfunction in both the intestinal barrier and blood-brain barrier (BBB). Integrated bioinformatics analysis revealed 14 overlapped NETs-related differential expressed genes in UC and AD, which strongly featured barrier dysfunction. The following verification experiments identified enriched NETs, as well as damaged intestinal epithelium and BBB permeability, in the colon and prefrontal cortex of colitis mice and APP/PS1 mice. By employing pharmacological interventions (Cl-amidine and Disulfiram), we disrupted the formation of NETs and discovered significantly restored barrier integrity and attenuated inflammation. Further enrichment and correlation analysis indicated, for the first time, DDIT4/IL-1 beta NETs might drive macrophage-mediated phagocytosis to induce barrier dysfunction in UC and AD. Our findings originally established the peripheral-central inflammation interactions of UC and AD from the perspective of NETs, highlighting the potential valuable roles in gut-brain interactions and future clinic translational therapeutics.
To analyze the role of disulfidptosis in ulcerative colitis (UC), large-scale datasets combined with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning were utilized and analyzed. When the hub genes that are associated with UC disease phenotypes and have predictive performance were identified, immune cell infiltration and the CeRNA network were constructed, the role of hub genes in UC pathogenies and biotherapy were investigated, and molecular docking studies and mice-verified tests were carried out to further explore the potential core genes and potential target. Finally, we found 21 DRGs involved in UC pathogenesis, including SLC3A2, FLNA, CAPZB, TLN1, RPN1, etc. Moreover, SLC3A2, TLN1, and RPN1 show a notable correlation with UC inflammatory state, and the expression of DRGs is closely related to the response to UC biotherapy. Our study suggests that disulfidptosis plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and disease progression of UC. Higher expression of DRGs is commonly observed in moderate to severe UC patients, which may also affect their response to biologic therapies. Among the identified genes, SLC3A2 stands out, providing new insights into the underlying mechanisms of UC and potentially serving as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of UC.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disease characterized by extracellular Amyloid Aβ peptide (Aβ) deposition and intracellular Tau protein aggregation. Glia, especially microglia and astrocytes are core participants during the progression of AD and these cells are the mediators of Aβ clearance and degradation. The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) is a complex interactive network between the gut and brain involved in neurodegeneration. MGBA affects the function of glia in the central nervous system (CNS), and microbial metabolites regulate the communication between astrocytes and microglia; however, whether such communication is part of AD pathophysiology remains unknown. One of the potential links in bilateral gut-brain communication is tryptophan (Trp) metabolism. The microbiota-originated Trp and its metabolites enter the CNS to control microglial activation, and the activated microglia subsequently affect astrocyte functions. The present review highlights the role of MGBA in AD pathology, especially the roles of Trp per se and its metabolism as a part of the gut microbiota and brain communications. We (i) discuss the roles of Trp derivatives in microglia-astrocyte crosstalk from a bioinformatics perspective, (ii) describe the role of glia polarization in the microglia-astrocyte crosstalk and AD pathology, and (iii) summarize the potential of Trp metabolism as a therapeutic target. Finally, we review the role of Trp in AD from the perspective of the gut-brain axis and microglia, as well as astrocyte crosstalk, to inspire the discovery of novel AD therapeutics.
Accumulating evidence shows that the abnormal increase in the mortality of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) caused by apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis is closely related to the function of mucous membrane immunity and barrier function in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). As a procedural death path that integrates the above-mentioned many deaths, the role of PANoptosis in UC has not been clarified. This study aims to explore the characterization of PANoptosis patterns and determine the potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We constructed a PANoptosis gene set and revealed significant activation of PANoptosis in UC patients based on multiple transcriptome profiles of intestinal mucosal biopsies from the GEO database. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis revealed five key genes (ZBP1, AIM2, CASP1/8, IRF1) of PANoptosome with good diagnostic value and were highly correlated with an increase in pro-inflammatory immune cells and factors. In addition, we established a reliable ceRNA regulatory network of PANoptosis and predicted three potential small-molecule drugs sharing calcium channel blockers that were identified, among which flunarizine exhibited the highest correlation with a high binding affinity to the targets. Finally, we used the DSS-induced colitis model to validate our findings. This study identifies key genes of PANoptosis associated with UC development and hypothesizes that IRF1 as a TF promotes PANoptosome multicomponent expression, activates PANoptosis, and then induces IECs excessive death.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease with a high prevalence in the elderly population, but our understanding of its mechanisms remains incomplete. Analysis of serum exosomal small RNA sequencing data from clinical patients and gene expression data from OA patient serum and cartilage obtained from the GEO database revealed a common dysregulated miRNA, miR-199b-5p. In vitro cell experiments demonstrated that miR-199b-5p inhibits chondrocyte vitality and promotes extracellular matrix degradation. Conversely, inhibition of miR-199b-5p under inflammatory conditions exhibited protective effects against damage. Local viral injection of miR-199b-5p into mice induced a decrease in pain threshold and OA-like changes. In an OA model, inhibition of miR-199b-5p alleviated the pathological progression of OA. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation identified Gcnt2 and Fzd6 as potential target genes of MiR-199b-5p. Thus, these results indicated that MiR-199b-5p/Gcnt2 and Fzd6 axis might be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of OA.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two intestinal diseases with different pathological changes. Electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST36) on both IBS and UC is widely used in clinic practice. But it is unclear whether acupuncture at one acupoint can treat two different intestinal diseases at different layers of intestinal barrier. To address this question, we explored three intestinal barrier lesions in IBS and UC mice with the aid of transcriptome data analysis and studied the efficacy of EA at ST36 on them. The transcriptome data analysis showed that both UC and IBS had disrupted intestinal barrier in various layers. And both UC and IBS had epithelial barrier lesions with reduction of ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-1, while UC rather than IBS had the destruction of the mucus barrier with less MUC2 expression. As to the vascular barrier, UC showed a higher CD31 level and mesenteric blood flow reduction, while IBS showed a lower PV-1 level. EA at ST36 can significantly improve the above lesions of intestinal barrier of IBS and UC. Our results gave more details about the comprehensive protective effect of EA for UC and IBS. We guess the effect of acupuncture may be a kind of homeostasis regulation.
Bear bile powder (BBP) is a valuable animal-derived product with a huge adulteration problem on market. It is a crucially important task to identify BBP and its counterfeit. Electronic sensory technologies are the inheritance and development of traditional empirical identification. Considering that each drug has its own specific odor and taste characteristics, electronic tongue (E-tongue), electronic nose (E-nose) and GC-MS were used to evaluate the aroma and taste of BBP and its common counterfeit. Two active components of BBP, namely tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA) were measured and linked with the electronic sensory data. The results showed that bitterness was the main flavor of TUDCA in BBP, saltiness and umami were the main flavor of TCDCA. The volatiles detected by E-nose and GC-MS were mainly aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids, heterocyclic, lipids, and amines, mainly earthy, musty, coffee, bitter almond, burnt, pungent odor descriptions. Four different machine learning algorithms (backpropagation neural network, support vector machine, K-nearest neighbor, and random forest) were used to identify BBP and its counterfeit, and the regression performance of these four algorithms was also evaluated. For qualitative identification, the algorithm of random forest has shown the best performance, with 100% accuracy, precision, recall and F1-score. Also, the random forest algorithm has the best R-2 and the lowest RMSE in terms of quantitative prediction.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gaining recognition as potential therapeutic agents due to their small size, ability to target a wide range of genes, and significant role in disease progression. However, despite their promising potential, nearly half of the miRNA drugs developed for therapeutic purposes have been discontinued or put on hold, and none have advanced to phase III clinical trials. The development of miRNA therapeutics has faced obstacles such as difficulties in validating miRNA targets, conflicting evidence regarding competition and saturation effects, challenges in miRNA delivery, and determining appropriate dosages. These hurdles primarily arise from the intricate functional complexity of miRNAs. Acupuncture, a distinct, complementary therapy, offers a promising avenue to overcome these barriers, particularly by addressing the fundamental issue of preserving functional complexity through acupuncture regulatory networks. The acupuncture regulatory network consists of three main components: the acupoint network, the neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) network, and the disease network. These networks represent the processes of information transformation, amplification, and conduction that occur during acupuncture. Notably, miRNAs serve as essential mediators and shared biological language within these interconnected networks. Harnessing the therapeutic potential of acupuncture-derived miRNAs can help reduce the time and economic resources required for miRNA drug development and alleviate the current developmental challenges miRNA therapeutics face. This review provides an interdisciplinary perspective by summarizing the interactions between miRNAs, their targets, and the three acupuncture regulatory networks mentioned earlier. The aim is to illuminate the challenges and opportunities in developing miRNA therapeutics. This review paper presents a comprehensive overview of miRNAs, their interactions with acupuncture regulatory networks, and their potential as therapeutic agents. By bridging the miRNA research and acupuncture fields, we aim to offer valuable insights into the obstacles and prospects of developing miRNA therapeutics.
A new network platform named ACU&MOX-DATA (http://cbcb.cdutcm.edu.cn/ACU&MOX-DATA/) was recently set up and introduced. The purpose of this website is to integrate and analyze multi-omics data of acupuncture and moxibustion and serve as a disease, clinical, and laboratory experiment public database. Some existing functions and the future plan of the website were also discussed. This platform can help researchers to integrate analyses and visual interpretation of key scientific issues in acupuncture & moxibustion under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory through heterogeneous and multi-level data fusion analysis.
This review outlined evidence that purinergic signaling is involved in the modulation of blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. The functional and structural integrity of the BBB is critical for maintaining the homeostasis of the brain microenvironment. BBB integrity is maintained primarily by endothelial cells and basement membrane but also be regulated by pericytes, neurons, astrocytes, microglia and oligodendrocytes. In this review, we summarized the purinergic receptors and nucleotidases expressed on BBB cells and focused on the regulation of BBB permeability by purinergic signaling. The permeability of BBB is regulated by a series of purinergic receptors classified as P2Y1, P2Y4, P2Y12, P2X4, P2X7, A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, which serve as targets for endogenous ATP, ADP, or adenosine. P2Y1 and P2Y4 antagonists could attenuate BBB damage. In contrast, P2Y12-mediated chemotaxis of microglial cell processes is necessary for rapid closure of the BBB after BBB breakdown. Antagonists of P2X4 and P2X7 inhibit the activation of these receptors, reduce the release of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and promote the function of BBB closure. In addition, the CD39/CD73 nucleotidase axis participates in extracellular adenosine metabolism and promotes BBB permeability through A1 and A2A on BBB cells. Furthermore, A2B and A3 receptor agonists protect BBB integrity. Thus, the regulation of the BBB by purinergic signaling is complex and affects the opening and closing of the BBB through different pathways. Appropriate selective agonists/antagonists of purinergic receptors and corresponding enzyme inhibitors could modulate the permeability of the BBB, effectively delivering therapeutic drugs/cells to the central nervous system (CNS) or limiting the entry of inflammatory immune cells into the brain and re-establishing CNS homeostasis.
Clarifying the acupoint efficacy is an important way to improve the clinical efficacy achieved by acupuncture.GB 34 is a commonly used acupoint in clinical practice,which can exert some functions such as relaxing tendons and channels,draining liver and gallbladder,and regulating qi.Combined with bibliometric methods,this article collated the traditional efficacy and modern clinical applications of GB 34,along with the corresponding biological mechanisms including anti-inflammation,analgesia and promotion of synaptic remodeling in both periphery and the central nervous system.This article is summarized in order to lay the foundation for further scientific and precise understanding of the acupoint efficacy of GB 34.
Background: Bloodletting therapy (BLT) is widely used to relieve acute gouty arthritis (AGA). However, limited evidence-based reports exist on the effectiveness and safety of BLT. This systematic review aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of BLT in treating AGA. Methods: Seven databases were exhaustively screened from the date of establishment to July 31, 2020, irrespective of the publication source and language. The included articles were evaluated for bias risk by using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. All statistical analyses were done with Review Manager 5.3. Results: Twelve studies involving 894 participants were included for the final analysis. Our meta-analysis revealed that BLT was highly effective in relieving pain (MD = -1.13, 95% CI [-1.60,-0.66], P < 0.00001), with marked alterations in the total effective (RR = 1.09, 95% [1.05, 1.14], P < 0.0001) and curative rates (RR = 1.37, 95%CI [1.17, 1.59], P < 0.0001). In addition, BLT could dramatically reduce serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level (MD = -3.64, 95%CI [-6.72,-0.55], P = 0.02). Both BLT and Western medicine (WM) produced comparable decreases in uric acid (MD = -18.72, 95%CI [-38.24, 0.81], P = 0.06) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels (MD = -3.01, 95%CI [-6.89, 0.86], P = 0.13). Lastly, we demonstrated that BLT was safer than WM in treating AGA (RR = 0.36, 95%CI [0.13, 0.97], P = 0.04). Conclusion: BLT is effective in alleviating pain and decreasing CRP level in AGA patients with a lower risk of evoking adverse reactions.
子宫内膜息肉宫腔镜切除术后联合左炔诺孕酮宫内缓释系统(LNG-IUS,曼月乐环),可显著降低息肉复发率,但其典型的不良反应如异常子宫出血,则严重地影响着曼月乐续用率及患者生活质量.中医认为,该类出血有别于崩漏、月经过多或经期延长等月经失调病,属于"环卧胞宫、金刃所伤"所致的"宫环出血","虚、瘀"为该类疾病的核心病机.脾主统血,统摄维持血液正常流动运行脉中而不溢出其外.因此,该类疾病治疗上当从"脾"论治.本文从理论及目前的中医临床运用角度对此进行了讨论和分析,以期为日后临床治疗提供思路.
Background. Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common joint disorders and debilitating diseases. Current evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of OA and have great potential as new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We aimed to analyze the trends and research status on miRNAs in OA and further demonstrate the hotspot miRNAs in OA via CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Methods. Publications regarding miRNAs and OA were extracted from the Web of Science (WOS) database on October 30, 2021. We assessed the number of publications, institutions, countries, authors, journals, cited references, and keywords with the help of the software tools CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Results. A total of 1109 articles were included. Research related to miRNAs and OA began to appear in 2008, and the overall trend is increasing. Chinese institutions have a leading advantage in the number of publications but lack high-quality and high-cited research and are laggard in co-cited literature. Ten miRNAs including miR-140, miR-146, miR-34, miR-181, miR-27, miR-9, miR-29, miR-21, miR-26, and miR-155 and chondrocytes were revealed as the most obvious miRNAs and a potential target for OA based on bibliometric analysis. More focus will be placed on a comprehensive study on chondrocytes regulated by miRNAs, which may accelerate possible diagnostic biomarkers and diagnostic biomarkers of OA in the future.
Background: Research on acetylation modification and its modification sites will be of great significance for revealing the mechanism of disease and developing new targeted medicines. In this study, we aim to construct a complete atlas of acetylome in the DSS-induced ulcerative colitis mice model (UC model) Methods: A high-resolution mass spectrometry-based quantitative approach was employed to identify lysineacetylated proteins and acetylation sites. Bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments verified antiinflammatory effects of HSP90B1-K142ac. Results: 2597 acetylation events and 1914 sites were quantified, highlighting 140 acetylation site changes in the colitis colon tissue. 91 acetylation sites in 75 proteins were up-regulated, and 49 acetylation sites in 39 proteins were down-regulated in the UC models. The differentially acetylated proteins mainly consisted of non-histone proteins located in the cytoplasm and mitochondria. KEGG and protein-protein interaction networks analysis showed that the differentially acetylated proteins were enriched in the TCA cycle, fatty acid metabolism, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum. 68% of the differentially metabolized enzymes have a down regulated trend in acetylation levels. The acetylation level of lysine 142 in HSP90B1 was found to be obvious in the UC colon, and point mutation of HSP90B1-K142ac would result in the decreasing secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-2 in LPS-stimulated cultured cells. Conclusion: Our work built a complete atlas of acetylome and revealed the potential role of metabolic enzymes and heat shock proteins in DSS-induced colitis.
五运六气学说(简称运气学说),是在我国古代特定背景下,基于长期、大量对自然气候、星象、物候的观察演化而成.本文基于COVID-19的发病特征对本病五运六气特点进行探讨,COVID-19发病时正值己亥年终之气与庚子年(2020年)初之气.庚子年金运太过,燥气流行,己亥年土运不及,风气大行,表现为岁运相同脏腑受病,所不胜之脏乘而发病,所胜之脏侮而发病.故COVID-19的基本病机是伏燥与风热疫毒搏结,阴津耗损,正气亦亏.其特点是伏燥兼风热,木强土弱,木火刑金.病位主要在肺、脾、肝,即在外感邪实的基础上多见肝失疏泄、脾失健运、肺失宣畅之症.同时本文对五运六气学说在中医防疫中所具有的现实意义和潜在价值进行了思考,认为运气学说能对疾病发生发展做出早期预测,故了解并把握运气学说对实现未病先治、未病先防具有重要价值.并提出要辨证地看待运气学说,不能盲目夸大其预测作用,也不可机械推算、主观臆断,否认其科学内涵,而要做到灵活、辩证地发扬其真正的合理性.
Review question / Objective: To summarize and evaluate the effects of Bloodletting therapy for postherpetic neuralgia.Condition being studied: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common chronic complication of herpes zoster.It is characterized by paroxysmal or persistent burning pain, anxiety, depression or even insomnia.The management of PHN is an effective long-term therapy.The first-line drugs for PHN are nonsteroidal anti-infammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Mecobalamin and Vitamin.However, above western medicine have high risk for acquiring low compliance and severe side effects in cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems.Therefore, taking a view on alternative medicine has become another popular way.Amounts of clinical randomized controlled trials have showed that Bloodletting therapy is effective in treating PHN with less adverse events.INPLASY registration number: This protocol was registered