Effect of Gan-Pi regulatory needling in treating chloasma.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of Gan-Pi regulatory needling (GPRN) in treating chloasma and its influences on female sex hormones, superoxide dismutase (SOD), lipid peroxide (LPO) and melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).


METHODS
Ninety chloasma patients were equally randomized to three groups, the treatment group treated with GPRN, the control group treated with conventional Western medicine and the blank group untreated. Changes in the scores of skin lesion (area and color) and symptom, as well as blood levels of female sex hormones, MSH, SOD and LPO were observed and compared after 3 months of treatment.


RESULTS
In the treatment group, the scores of skin lesion area and color were reduced from 2.76 + or - 0.96 and 2.48 + or - 0.78 before treatment to 1.42 + or - 0.42 and 1.03 + or - 0.41 after treatment, respectively, while in the control group they were from 2.78 + or - 1.06 and 2.53 + or - 0.88 to 1.58 + or - 1.23 and 1.28 + or - 0.96, respectively, all showing significant changes (P<0.05); the scores were insignificantly changed in the blank group (P>0.05). At the same time, the score of symptoms in the treatment group significantly improved after treatment (P<0.05), significantly different from that of the other two groups. Comparison of female sex hormones among groups showed no significant differences either before or after treatment. The level of LPO decreased and SOD increased in both the treatment group and the control group significantly (all P<0.05), but significant lowering of MSH was only seen in the treatment group (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
GPRN can effectively lessen the size and lighten the color of chloasma, improve the accompanying symptoms in patients and decrease LPO and MSH levels and increase the SOD level, but will not affect the level of the female sex hormones.
Shi
Hong-fei
HF
The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China. zjshf@tom.com
Xu
Bing
B
Guo
Xi-chao
XC
Qiu
Xia-wen
XW
Zhang
Yu-ping
YP
Ding
Xiang-jie
XJ
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008548:Melanosis / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019366:Western World
D015415:Biomarkers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid