Objective

2

To explore the differences in the effects of herbal patching of Mahuang （

Herba Ephedrae

） and Huangqin （

Radix Scutellariae

） on the surface temperature of neck， chest and back acupoints in healthy subjects， to study mechanism of acupoint herbal patching therapy.

Methods

2

Ten healthy subjects were recruited. Each subject was given herbal patching for three times； for the first time， 0.5 g of Mahuang powder was used as the Mahuang group； for the second time， 0.5 g of Huangqin powder was used as the Huangqin group； for the third time， 0.5 g of Mahuang powder and 0.5 g of Huangqin powder were used as the mixed group. The herbal patch was applied at

Feishu

（BL13） acupoints， 3 hours each time， with an interval of 3 days. Infrared thermal imager was used to collect thermal images and body surface temperature regarding bilateral Feishu （BL 13）， bilateral Pohu （BL 42）， Shenzhu （GV 12）， Lianquan （CV 23）， Tiantu （CV 22） and Danzhong （CV 17） before and after herbal patching. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the influence of confounding factors such as age， gender， weight， height， body mass index （BMI）， body temperature， systolic blood pressure， diastolic blood pressure， heart rate， and blood oxygen saturation after herbal patching on the temperature changes at different acupoints.

Results

2

The visual analysis of infrared thermogram showed that the red area of the infrared thermogram on the back of the subject expanded in the Huangqin group and mixed group. Quantitative analysis of infrared thermogram showed that there was a statistically significant difference in body surface temperature at the left Feishu （BL 13） and left Pohu （BL 42） before herbal patching among the groups （

P

＜0.05）.

After herbal patching， the body surface temperature at left Feishu （BL 13）， Tiantu （CV 22） and Danzhong （CV 17） in the Huangqin group decreased （

P

＜0.05）； the temperature at bilateral Feishu， bilateral Pohu， Shenzhu， Lianquan， Tiantu and Danzhong decreased in the mixed group

（

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. The linear regression analysis showed that the changes in temperature at Tiantu in the Huangqin group was decreased by 0.46 ℃ and statistically significant （

P

＜0.05）. Changes in age， BMI， heart rate， and diastolic blood pressure had a certain impact on the temperature change at the acupoints after herbal patching （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）.

Conclusion

2

Herbal patching of Huangqin alone or in combination with Mahuang at Feishu may play its role by affecting the surface temperature of acupoints.