Wet cupping therapy removes oxidative stress related miRNAs

Abstract

Background: Wet cupping therapy is commonly used in different conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, inflammatory and infectious diseases. The mechanism of action of wet cupping therapy is not yet clear, however several studies have demonstrated that it has a role in limiting oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of wet cupping therapy on oxidative stress-related miRNAs miRNA-34a, miRNA-200a, miRNA-21 levels and oxidant-antioxidant status markers malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. Methods: 60 healthy volunteer women aged 20-75 years (n=30, 20-45 years; n=30, 45-75 years) who were applied wet cupping at Konya Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Traditional and Complementary Medicine Center were included in this study. Plasma miRNA-34a, miRNA-200a and miRNA-21 levels were analyzed by using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) analysis. MDA and GSH levels were measured using the commercial ELISA kits. Results: MDA levels [2003.10 (1810.17-7392.15) vs 1884.04 (1800.10-4488.05), p=0.027] of wet cupping blood samples higher than venous blood samples, while GSH levels [125.97 (90.65-219.43) vs 131.77 (88.77-246.42), p=0.037] were lower. miRNA-34a [(0.94±0.74) vs (0.53±0.28), p