Moxibustion activates mast cell degranulation at the ST25 in rats with colitis

Table 1 Average diameter and size of mast cells at ST25 acupoint areas (mean ± SD)

Group	n	MC average diameter	MC average size
Normal	10	14.0266 ± 2.1240	163.9111 ± 51.3831
Model	10	14.6944 ± 2.8082	182.1338 ± 79.6975
Moxibustion	10	12.8357 ± 3.5726	148.2694 ± 88.3540
M + DC	10	15.2929 ± 1.5578	194.111 ± 35.6967
M + NS	10	14.2835 ± 1.5379	162.4508 ± 28.2383

MC: Mast cells; M + DC: Moxibustion plus disodium cromoglycate; M + NS: Moxibustion plus normal saline.

Table 2 Degranulation ratio of mast cells at ST25 acupoint areas (mean ± SD)

Group	n	MC total number	MC degranulation number	Degranulation ratio (%)
Normal	10	7.16 ± 1.27	1.22 ± 0.29	17.01 ± 4.11
Model	10	10.38 ± 2.52	3.44 ± 1.27a	32.58 ± 8.28a
Moxibustion	10	13.22 ± 4.40a	5.78 ± 1.97ab	45.91 ± 11.41ab
M + DC	10	10.14 ± 4.26	3.36 ± 1.64ac	33.41 ± 9.56ac
M + NS	10	12.24 ± 4.34a	5.12 ± 2.26ab	42.41 ± 7.71ab

MC: Mast cells; M + DC: Moxibustion plus disodium cromoglycate; M + NS: Moxibustion plus normal saline..

^aP < 0.05 vs normal group;

^bP < 0.05 vs model group;

^cP < 0.05 vs moxibution group.