Acupuncture and moxibustion are more integrated in the Chinese healthcare system than in the national healthcare systems of other countries. Development of acupuncture and moxibustion in China is making progress in this field. For overseas researchers, this commentary offers perspectives on the current status of acupuncture and moxibustion in China and examines relevant opportunities and challenges in healthcare reforms. There has been a steady increase in the number of undergraduates and postgraduates studying acupuncture and moxibustion in Chinese Medicine (CM) universities in China over the past decade. The legislation of CM physicians that was established in 1999 and the launch of continuing medical education in CM in 2002 have ensured the basic competency of practitioners. The Chinese Government has also shown support for CM development by increasing investment in related fields of research and administration. New challenges have emerged as the healthcare landscape in China has evolved over the past decade. It is important to harness the potential of acupuncture and moxibustion to create a value-driven healthcare system that meets the health needs of a rapidly aging society.

Objective. To investigate the antiaging effects of moxibustion and moxa smoke on APP/PS1 mice and to illustrate the mechanism of moxibustion improving Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods. 36 male APP/PS1 mice were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 12), including a model control group, a moxibustion group, and a moxa smoke group. In addition, 12 C57BL/6 normal mice served as a normal (negative) control group. Mice in the moxibustion group received moxibustion intervention using Guanyuan (RN4) acupoint. Mice in the moxa smoke group received moxa smoke exposure with the same frequency as the moxibustion group. Behavioral tests were implemented in the 9th week, 3 days after the completion of the intervention. Tricarboxylic acid cycle and fatty acid metabolomics assessments of the mice were determined after behavioral tests. Results. In this study, relative to normal mice, we found that AD mice showed altered tricarboxylic and fatty acid metabolism and showed behavioral changes consistent with the onset of AD. However, both the moxibustion and moxa smoke interventions were able to mitigate these effects to some degree in AD mice. Conclusions. The data suggest that tricarboxylic acid cycle and unsaturated fatty acid metabolomics changes may be a target of AD, and the beneficial effects of moxibustion on cognitive behaviors may be mediated by the energy metabolism system.

Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of moxibustion on the animal model of oxidative stress and cardiovascular injury induced by high‐methionine diet (2% methionine and 3.5% fat on the basis of ordinary maintenance feed) during 12 weeks. Methods. 53 mice were divided into four groups: mice in the Control group (n = 8), mice in the Met group (n = 15), mice in the Met + Moxibustion group (n = 15), and mice in the Met + Smoke group (n = 15). After 12 weeks of intervention, homocysteine (Hcy), S‐adenosine homocysteine (SAH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), oxygenized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) were determined in the serum and aortic homogenate. Results. Compared with the Met group, our results indicated that through moxibustion intervention, the content of serum Hcy and its intermediate metabolite SAH can be reduced to a certain extent, and SOD, HO‐1, and ox‐LDL can be increased. Conclusion. This study showed moxibustion’s ability to enhance the body’s antioxidation and protect vascular endothelial function, thus playing an early role in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

Objective. To observe the effect of moxibustion on cognitive function of aging mice, to observe the effect of moxibustion on protein and gene expression of APP metabolism pathway, and to explore the mechanism of action in moxibustion. Methods. 24 SAMP8 were randomly divided into 2 groups (12 in each group): moxibustion group and model group. 12 SAMR1 mice were used as blank controls. Mice in the moxibustion group were treated with moxibustion for 8 weeks, 10 minutes each time, 5 times a week, and for a total of 8 weeks. The model group and the blank group were treated with sham‐moxibustion. Behavior tests were used to detect the learning and memory ability of each group of mice. Immunohistochemical, western blot, and RT‐PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression of APP and BACE1. Furthermore, the expressions of miR‐29 and miR‐101 were observed by RT‐PCR method to explore the mechanism of moxibustion at the genetic level. Results. In this study, relative to normal mice, we found that aging mice showed behavioral changes consistent with the onset of AD. However, moxibustion interventions were able to mitigate these effects to some degree in aging mice. In addition, moxibustion was proved to regulate APP metabolism pathway at protein and gene level through molecular biology tests. Conclusion. The data suggest that the effect of moxibustion intervention on cognitive function in aging mice is related to the regulation of genes and proteins involved in APP metabolism pathway; this may be a potential target for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Background: Primary osteoporosis (POP) is a common disease among elderly, which increase the risk of fracture and impact to the quality of life. As a Chinese traditional therapy, moxibustion has been commonly applied in treating chronic musculoskeletal diseases in China. Many trails have shown that moxibustion therapy is effective in treating primary osteoporosis. The protocol aims to present the methods used to access the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion therapy for patients with primary osteoporosis. Methods: The following databases will be searched from their inception: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails(CENTRAL), Pubmed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database(CBM), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database), and Wan-Fang Database. Clinical randomized controlled trials related to moxibustion therapy for treating primary osteoporosis will be included, regardless of publication status and languages. Study selection, data collection, and quality assessment will be independently conducted by 2 researchers. We will select the fixed-effects or random-effects model according to the heterogeneity assessment for data synthesis. Bone mineral density(BMD) will be the primary outcomes. Visual analogue scale(VAS), response rate, TCM Syndrome scale(TCMSS), bone gla protein(BGP), alkaline phosphatase(BALP), blood calcium(Ca), blood phosphate(P), quality of life(QOL) will be the second outcomes. If it is appropriate for meta-analysis, RevMan V.5.3 statistical software will be used. Otherwise, a systematic narrative synthesis will be conducted. The results will be presented as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dichotomous data and weight mean difference(WMD) or standard mean difference (SMD) 95% CIs for continuous data. Trial registration number: PROSPERO CRD42019129507

This study investigated a low-frequency ultrasound-driven, resveratrol-induced hydrocolloid composed of ovalbumin and lysozyme amyloid-like fibrils for the efficient stabilization of aqueous cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. Results demonstrated that resveratrol, under ultrasonic treatment, acted as a molecular bridge, disrupting the long-range order of linear β-sheets and promoting fibril cross-linking via intramolecular hydrogen bonds. This process significantly reduced the average particle size of the fibrils, transforming the system into a three-dimensional hydrocolloid network with improved viscoelasticity. The resulting hydrocolloid with adjusted surface hydrophobicity and surface hydrophobicity effectively stabilized emulsion- hydrocolloids loaded with cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, yielding uniform droplets with enhanced stability against aggregation and oxidation during storage. The confidence interval of the Cole-Cole curve of the emulsion hydrocolloid narrated and linearized with the increase in resveratrol ratio, and the formed single relaxation network microstructure significantly enhanced the environmental stimulation stability of the emulsion hydrocolloid. In vitro digestion studies revealed that prepared emulsion-hydrocolloids significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. Furthermore, in a Caco-2 cell monolayer model, the digestively derived micelles from the emulsion-hydrocolloid notably improved the absorption rate of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside over 120 min and exhibited strong cytoprotective effects under H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress by effectively reducing intracellular ROS levels, increasing SOD activity, and decreasing MDA content. All treatments maintained high cell viability (>95%), indicating excellent biocompatibility. These findings suggest that the ultrasound-assisted resveratrol-induced fibril hydrocolloid is a highly promising vehicle for improving the stability, bioavailability, and bioactivity of hydrophilic polyphenols.