INFLUENCE OF SU JOK ACUPUNCTURE ON SPONTANEOUS MIGRATION OF LEUKOCYTES IN SICKLY CHILDREN

D.I.Makhmudova, R.Z.Pulatova, T.U.Aripova, Z.S.Kumalov, L.I.Mirakamalova, Research Institute of paediatrics of the Republic of Uzbekistan, director of the Institute Prof. O.S.Makhmudov; Research Institute of immunology of the Republic of Uzbekistan, director Prof. R.M.Ruzybakiev

Respiratory diseases are common among children, and insufficient effectiveness of traditional treatment schemes make it actual to study effectiveness of non-traditional therapeutic methods and their action on the immune system.

In the past years, there have been reports of favourable influence of acupuncture on a number of immunological indices (M.V.Vogralik, 1984, 1988).

Until now, however, the influence of acupuncture on the spontaneous migration of leukocytes in peripheral blood (SML PB) has not been studied. The phenomenon of inhibition of migration of leukocytes and macrophages by the migration inhibition factors (MIF), which are secreted by sensitised lymphocytes after repeat contact with antigens or during mitogenetic induction, is a reflection in vitro of delayed hypersensitivity processes mediated by T lymphocytes in the reaction of leukocyte migration inhibition (RLMI) (L.I.Mirkamalova, 1989, 1992).

The purpose of this work was to analyse and interpret RLMI data by observation of sickly children (SC) who fall ill frequently with bronchopulmonary diseases and determine the clinico-immunological effectiveness of using Su Jok acupuncture in this category of patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Children examined were from 1 to 12 years old, frequently suffering from bronchopulmonary diseases (SC BP), (Group I consisted of children with frequent recurrence of acute bronchitis 3-4 times and more, Group 2 were children who had acute bronchopneumonia 2-3 times a year and more).

Patients were divided into 2 groups.

The basic one consisted of 38 SC who received Su Jok acupuncture in combination with conventional therapy.

The control group were 33 children who received traditional therapy, including a complex of physiotherapeutic treatments, symptomatic and vitamin therapy, antibiotics, and also treatment of chronic infection foci.

Twenty children were examined for purposes of control.

Acupuncture was performed employing:

1) the basic correspondence system,

2) the "insect" system.

Given that significant differences of the parameters considered are absent when these systems are used, generalised results are presented below.

All children underwent a course of treatment of 10 acupuncture sessions.

Immunological research was carried out during the first days of staying in the clinic. Heparinized blood of the patients (0.5 ml) was used to apply a modification of the direct capillary micromethod of RLMI (4).

The spontaneous run (migration) of leukocytes was studied in the medium 119 (SML PB), SML in the presence of the autologic serum (AS), leukocyte run in the presence of non-specific mitogens Kon-A (K-10) dosed by 10 mg/ml. In each group of 3 capillaries the average run of leukocytes was calculated in absolute units (1 unit is 0.1 mm) and in percent: SML PB - as a ratio between the average run of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) in each case and the average value of SML in the control group, SML AS - with respect to SML in medium 199. The production of the leukocyte migration-inhibiting factor (LMIF) was determined by the formula:

Where MI is the migration index, MII is the migration inhibition index, RPBL is the test-run of leukocytes in the presence of a mitogen, SML PB is spontaneous migration of leukocytes of peripheral blood.

Data marked by plus were regarded a positive result, by minus - as blocks to LMIF production.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of studying the SML PB index and leukocyte migration indices in incubation with mitogens are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Impact of acupuncture on SML PB

Note: Here and further * is reliability of differences between indices before and after therapy.

The average index of SPL BP in the group of healthy children amounted to 53.7-5.9 and was accepted as 100%. As compared with healthy children, in SC there is a decrease of SML PB, which is especially marked in Group 2 (77.1% and less in Group 1 (82.4%).

In the control group patients, SML did not change significantly against the background of traditional therapy, whereas in the basic group the index increased in both Group 1 and 2.

In healthy children, under the influence of AS, there was some decrease of SML PB (MI=97.9+3.2) testified by the positive value of the migration inhibition index (MII=+2.1%) (Table 2).

Table 2. MII indices depending on the therapy

The spontaneously produced LMIF (MIF) that normally do not influence SML PB significantly can account for this change of SML. In pathological conditions, AS can exert influence on cellular immunity reactions and migration activity of PBL. So in SC, AS can cause increased migration activity of PBL, which become evident when calculating MII in Group 1 before treatment (MII=-12.5%).

Application of Su Jok acupuncture in combination with traditional therapy results in decreased migration activity of PBL in both groups confirmed by MII indices (MII in Group I = +13%, in Group 2 MII = +15%). In SC who received traditional therapy, in Group 1 the decrease of migration activity was less pronounced (MII=+4%), and in Group 2 there was a considerable increase (MII=-13%).

The reaction to Kon-A-1- characterises a functional activity of LMIF-producing cells (helpers).

In Groups 1 and 2 before treatment, and in healthy children, the Kon-A reaction was indicative of LMIF production, manifested in inhibition of leukocyte migration that amounted to +21.5%, +25.5%, +44.6%, respectively (Table 2). The higher migration indices in the control group patients point to lower LMIF production and functional activity of helpers. When traditional therapy was applied, in Group 1 there was decreased migration of leukocytes (MII=-16%), which indicate a decrease of immunological reactivity and is clinically manifested by recurrence of bronchopneumonias in SC.

In patients who received Su Jok therapy (basic group) the helper function observed after treatment was close to the initial level which can be indicative of MIF production (MII in Gr.1 =+24.2%, Gr.2 =+37%). Comparing the duration of the basic clinical manifestations during exacerbations and frequency of relapses within the next six months of observation, one can conclude that the complex therapy that includes Su Jok therapy has advantages (R.Z.Pulotova et. al., 1994).

Therefore, application of Su Jok acupuncture in treatment of SC has a positive effect on SML PB and production of LMIF, which correlates with data about the effectiveness of this method indicated by a shorter duration of the basic clinical manifestations during the acute period of recurrent disease and by the decreased number of episodes during further observation.

Influenced by Su Jok acupuncture, there occur changes in the production of lymphoquins that contribute to the smoothing of the "mobile" of the immune system that, according to the principle proposed by R.V.Petrov, is a sum total of the components united into a single whole via the most diverse, by direction and force, interactions, when a change in some entails changes in others, striving to balance.

The mechanism of action of Su Jok acupuncture on the studied indices of bronchopulmonary pathologies in SC is multiform, it refers to various components of the immune system, in particular, it has a pronounced effect on the production of lymphoquins that regulate migration.

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