Mechanism progress of acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic prostatitis☆

针灸治疗慢性前列腺炎作用机制的研究进展

Zhi-hao LI (李之豪)^a, Jun-wei HU (胡俊威) ^a, Xu LI (李旭) ^a, Yue-lai CHEN (陈跃来)^b,*

^a Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海 200437, 中国)

^b The Seventh People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200137, China (上海中医药大学附属第七人民医院, 上海200137, 中国)

ABSTRACT

The effect of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is definite, and progress has been made in the studies of its functional mechanism. This paper discusses the related studies on the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of CP/CPPS from five aspects: regulating immunity, anti-oxidative stress, regulating neural functions, improving urodynamics, and regulating blood circulation. It is found that acupuncture and moxibustion can decrease the level of pro-inflammatory factors, increase the level of anti-inflammatory factors, and regulate the level of inflammatory regulatory factors, thus to regulate immunity. Acupuncture and moxibustion can improve the body's ability of anti-oxidative stress, regulate the balance state of oxidation and anti-oxidation, thus to relieve tissue damage, and regulate neural functions by modulating neurotransmitters and autonomic nerves. Acupuncture and moxibustion can improve urodynamics and relieve abnormal urination symptoms by regulating the contraction of pelvic floor muscles, can also promote blood circulation to treat the pelvic congestion. It is expected that this paper can provide reference for the clinical application and research of acupuncture and moxibustion for CP/CPPS. 

Keywords

Acupuncture and moxibustion 

Chronic prostatitis (CP)

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS)

Anti-oxidative stress

Inflammatory factors

Urodynamics

Functional mechanism 

【摘要】

针灸治疗慢性前列腺炎/慢性盆腔疼痛综合征（CP/CPPS）疗效确切，其作用机制的研究已取得进展。本文从调节免疫、抗氧化应激、调节神经功能、改善尿动力学、调节血液循环五个方面论述了针灸治疗慢性前列腺炎/慢性盆腔疼痛综合征的相关机理研究。发现针灸可以降低促炎因子水平，增加抗炎因子水平，调节炎症调节因子水平，从而调节免疫。针灸可以提高机体抗氧化应激能力，调节氧化与抗氧化的平衡状态，从而减轻组织损伤，通过调节神经递质和自主神经调节神经功能。针灸通过调节盆底肌肉的收缩，改善尿动力学，缓解异常排尿症状，还可以促进血液循环，治疗盆腔淤血。希望本文能为针灸治疗慢性前列腺炎/慢性盆腔疼痛综合征的临床应用和研究提供参考。

【关键词】针灸、慢性前列腺炎（CP）、慢性盆腔疼痛综合征（CPPS）、抗氧化应激、炎症因子、尿动力学、功能机制