To observe the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on the expression of IL 1 β and iNOSmRNA in ulcerative colitis rats. METHODS Human fresh surgical colonic mucosa was homogenized by adding appropriate amount of normal saline and centrifuged at 3000 r/min. Protein content of the supematant was measured and then mixed with Freund adguvant, and injected into the plantae of the model group rats, then into the plantea, dorsa, inguen and abdominal cavities (no Freund adjuvant for the last injection) on the 10 th, 17 th, 24 th and 31 th day respectively. When a certain titer of seurm anti colonic antibody was reached, 20 ml/L formalin and antigen fluid (no Freund adjuvant) were administered by enema to set up ulcerativecolitis rat model. The arimals were randomly divided into four groups: model control group (MC=8), electropuncture group (EP=8), herb separation moxibustion group (HPM=8) and normal control group (NC=8) HPM: Mosa cones made of refined mugwort floss were placed on the medicinal pads (medicinal pad dispensing: Radix Aconiti Praeparata, contex Cinnamomi, ectc) for Qihai (RN6) and Tianshu (ST 25, bilateral) and ignited. Two moxa cones were used for each acupuncture once a day and 14 times in all. EP: Tianshu (bilateral) and Qihai were stimulated by the intermittent pulse with 2 Hz frequency, 4 mA intensity for 20 minutes once a day and 14 times in all. After treatment, all rats were killed simultaneously. The spleen was separated and distal colon was dissected. Totai tissue RNA was isolated by the guanidinium thiocyanate phenol chloroform extraction method. RT PCR technique was used to observe the expression of IL 1 β and iNOSmRNA. no Freund adjuvant. RESULTS IL 1 β and iNOSmRNA was not all detected in the spleen and colonic mucosa of NC rats, while it was significantly expressed in that of MC rats. IL 1 β and iNOSmRNA was markedly lower in EF and HPM rats than that in MC rats. There was no significant difference in the levels of IL 1 β and iNOSmRNA between EP and HPM rats. The amount of IL 1 β and i
