title: Guasha-induced hepatoprotection in chronic active hepatitis B: a case study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has demonstrated hepatoprotective effect in animal hepatitis models. HO-1 was also reported to be upregulated with Guasha, an ancient therapeutic technique which applies instrument assisted press-stroking to treat many disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case on the changes of liver function, plasma HO-1 and T-helper (Th) cytokine balance in a chronic active hepatitis B carrier before and after Guasha. The patient presented with increased activities of liver enzymes (ALT and AST), indicating inflammatory damage in liver before Guasha.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight hours after receiving Guasha, the patient showed changes in a number of serum markers: a decline of liver enzymes (ALT and AST) indicating reduced chronic inflammation, an elevated plasma HO-1, and a modulation of T-helper (Th)1/Th2 balance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Guasha was shown to transiently reduce the inflammatory markers of liver injury in human, together with an enhancement of HO-1 which might be responsible for the hepatoprotective action.
authors: Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, MA 02129, United States. phoebe@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
authors: Suk-tak
authors: ST
authors: Chan
authors: John W M
authors: JW
authors: Yuen
authors: Mayur-Danny I
authors: MD
authors: Gohel
authors: Chi-ping
authors: CP
authors: Chung
authors: Ho-cheong
authors: HC
authors: Wong
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