title: [Effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on gonadal hormone and beta-endorphin in patients of climacteric syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on climacteric syndrome (CS) and its mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty cases were randomly divided into a catgut implantation group and a western medicine group, 30 cases in each group. The catgut implantation group was treated by catgut implantation at Shenshu (BL 23), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Sanyinjiao (SP 6). The western medicine group was treated by oral administration of Diethylstilbestrol tablet. Their therapeutic effects and changes of content of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteotrophic hormone (LH), estradiol (E2) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) in serum were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total effective rate was 93.3% in the catgut implantation group and 70.0% in the western medicine group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). After treatment, the beta-EP concentration in the catgutation implant group was significantly increased (P < 0.05), the FSH concentration was significantly reduced and E2 concentration was significantly increased as compared with those in the western medicine group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Catgut implantation at acupoint has an obvious therapeutic effects on CS. It can significantly improve the ovaries function and has a favorable regulative action on the endogenous opioid peptides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of TCM, Guangzhou 510405, China. liyuemei71@163.com
authors.forename: Yue-mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Dong-shu
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi-feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D002398:Catgut; D005260:Female; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017697:Premenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042341:Gonadal Hormones; D001615:beta-Endorphin