Basic Medical Science Research Institute of China’s Academy of Medical Science
Yang Yizhao Xi Pinxiang Chen Xiangyen Yu Jing Li Changcheng
HuaXia Zhineng Qigong Training Center Su Dongyue
Zhineng Qigong Beijing Branch Cui Zhenying
Abstract
This article has reported the observation of Zhineng Qigong’s effect on the experimental inflammation and the chemiluminescence (CL) of neutrophil (PMNS) caused by carrageenin. The result of the observation shows that Zhineng Qigong has an evident depressing effect on experimental inflammation (P＜0.01) and an evident enhancing effect on CL of PMNS (P＜0.01).
Key words
Zhineng Qigong, inflammation, neutrophil, chemiluminescence
Preface
Qigong has an obvious therapeutic effect on a variety of inflammatory diseases. This article is about the observation of the function of Zhineng Qigong on the experimental inflammation (oedema of paw) caused by carrageenin. A comparison is also made between this effect and the effect of the classical anti-inflammation medicine, hydrocortisone. The observation of the influence of Zhineng Qigong on the chemiluminescence (CL) of neutrophil (PMNS), an element which plays a major role in the inflammational reaction, is also recorded at the same time. All these provide some experimental data for illustrating the principle of qigong therapeutic effect.
Materials and Method
Reagents and disposition
Carrageenin，produced by Serva Factory, diluted into 1% (concentration) with normal saline, sterilized with high pressure, dissolved with lukewarm water before it is used, ready for use；glycogen: produced by Zhaohui Pharmaceutical Factory of the Second Military University of Medical Science; lumina: product of Sigma; zymosan: made by our own laboratory; hydorcortisone sodium succinate，product from Tianjin Lixin Pharmaceutical Factory.
Rats
Wistar in species, 200g to 250g in weight, provided by Experimental Animal Institute of China’s Academy of Medical Science.
Duplication and grouping of the samples of paw oedema
According to the method reported before(1), inject 0.1ml1% carrageenin into the subcutaneous tissue of the hind paws of rats to cause inflammation. Five hours later, measure the circumference and the radius of the rats’ hind paw that has the oedemata on it and compare them with the circumference and the radius of this part of the rats before the inflammation occurred. Use the increase value in localized circumference and radius to reflect the degree of the inflammation.
The animals are divided into three groups: a). Inflammation Group; b). Zhineng Qigong Group: The moment the inflammation is caused and in an hour after that, Zhineng Qigong master transmits qi to rats (to organize a qi field and adjust qi in the rats); each transmission of qi lasts five minutes; c). Hydrocortisone Group: Inject hydrocortisone into the muscles of rats for twice and the time for the injection is the same as in b). Dosage: 25 mg/kg for each injection.
The separation of PMNS：
According to the method reported before(2), make an injection of 20ml1% glycogen into the rats’ stomachs. Four hours later, extract the ooze that is rich in PMNS from their stomachs. Centrifuge it and wash it with PBS for twice. Finally, resuspend it in the solution of Hank’s and make it 5×106/ml, ready for use. With this method, we can get PMNS (purity＞5%, survival rate＞95%).
Prepare zymosan that has already been adjusted: According to the method reported before(3), weigh out 400mg zymosan and 4ml fresh blood serum of rats and incubate the mixture at 370C. Centrifuge it and wash it. And finally resuspend it in the solute of Hank’s. Make it into 10mg/ml, ready for use.
Measuring the chemiluminescence of PMNS and the grouping: The luminance
system includes 5 ×106PMNS(lml), 0.1mM luminal (0.1ml) and 1mg zymosan (0.1ml). Measure and obtain the readings of luminance on the biological luminance instrument. There are three groups in the experiment: a). PMNS Control Group, with no zymosan in it; b). PMNS plus Zymosan Group; c). Zhineng Qigong Group: Zhineng Qigong master transmits qi into PMNS for 2 minutes before zymosan is added.
Result
Function of Zhineng Qigong on paw oedema
Half an hour after carrageenin is injected, the paws of the rats begin to become red and swollen. Then they gradually become more serious and four to five hours later the swollen condition of the rats’ paws reaches a peak state. Inhibiting effect on this inflammation with Zhineng Qigong’s qi field organization treatment is evident, which is shown in the obvious decrease in the increased value of the circumference and the radius of the swollen paws (P＜0.01). This is shown in Table 1.
| Group | Number of Samples | Increased Value of the Circumference and the Radius of Swollen Paws (cm) | P Value
(Note 1) |
| Inflammation Group
Zhineng Qigong Group Hydrocortisone Group |
26
26
26 |
0.557±0.035
0.277±0.021
0.206±0.028 |
＜0.01
＜0.01 |
Table 1 Inhibiting Effect of Zhineng Qigong on the Oedema of Paw (X±s)
Note 1): Compared with Inflammation Group
The Effect of Zhineng Qigong on the chemiluminenscence of PMNS
The readings of the chemiluminescence when PMNS are swallowing zymosan increase evidently. Zhineng Qigong qi field organization treatment has an evident enhancing effect in this process (P＜0.01). See Table 2.
| Group | Readings of Chemiluminescence | P Value |
| PMNS Control Group | 4.7±0.1(22) | |
| PMNS plus Zymosan | 168.7±16.2(22) | ＜0.01
(Note 1) |
| PMNS plus Zymosan and Zhineng Qigong | 236.3±23.5(22) | ＜0.01
(Note 2) |
Table 2 Effect of Zhineng Qigong on the Chemiluminescence of
Neutrophil (X±s)
Note:
Numbers in the brackets are the number of samples.
1) Compared with the Control Group
2) Compared with PMNS plus Zymosan Group
Discussion
Inflammation is a basic pathological process. It is a comprehensive reaction process when the organism mainly takes defensive actions against the various damages in tissues. As far as part of the human body is concerned, at the beginning period of acute inflammation, the transparency of blood vessels becomes obviously increased and swell occurs, which indicates that there is impediment in microcirculation. The experimental inflammation model (oedema in paws) caused by carrageenin reported in this article is a classical model of inflammation (4, 5). It is noticed that, half an hour after the injection of carrageenin, the rats’ paws begin to swell and the swelling reaches a peak condition at the fourth and fifth hour, which is identical with what has been reported in medical literature. This experimental model has an advantage of being simple and convenient to reproduce; it is stable as a model and is easy for observation. It is also observed and recorded in this article that Zhineng Qigong qi field organization treatment has an evident inhibiting effect on this model of inflammation. It obviously alleviates the swelling and the strength of its effect borders on the effect of hydorcortisone.
Neutrophil is an important cell in the inflammatory reaction. Its activation and the product of its activation (activated oxygen, lyoenzyme, etc.) play an important role in the reaction of inflammation. It is observed in this article that the readings of the chemiluminescence of neutrophil become obviously increased after they have engulfed zymosan. This is because PMNS are activated and they produce oxide free radical? through “breath explosion.” These oxide free radicals jump from the high energy track into the low energy track, emitting energy and functioning on luminal, which causes the chemiluminescence. It is also observed in this article that Zhineng Qigong’s qi field organization treatment has an evident enhancing function on this reaction process. It evidently increases the chemiluminescence of neutrophil.
The functioning principles of Zhineng Qigong are apparently very complicated. We have but observed some phenomena. How it influences the experimental inflammation and how it affects the chemiluminescence of neutrophil still need further exploration.
References
1. Yan Yizhao, et al., Experimental Research into the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection, Journal of China’s Academy of Medical Science, 1986, 8:147
2. Chen Xiangyin, et al., The Experimental Research into the Release of Lyoenzyme by Lolymorphic Nuclear Leucocyle, Journal of China’s Academy of Medical Science, 1986, 8: 13
3. Chen Xiangyin, et al., Experiment on the Chemiluminescence of Neutrophil , Physiological Science, 1988; 8:407.