摘要OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy of herb-parti-tioned moxibustion(HPM)at Qihai(CV6),Tians-hu(ST25)and Shangjuxu(ST37)acupoints in reliev-ing symptoms and the immune regulation of HPM on the toll-like receptors 4(TLR4)signaling path-way in ulcerative colitis(UC)patients.METHODS:A randomized,single-blind study was conducted 63 patients to receive HPM or sham HPM treatment.The efficacy outcomes included scores of the Mayo,Baron,inflammatory bowel dis-ease questionnaire(IBDQ),self-rating depression scale(SDS),self-rating anxiety scale(SAS).HE staining was used to observe the histopathologi-cal changes of the colon.The expression of in-flammatory cytokines and TLR4 signaling path-way related molecules were determined by en-zyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immuno-histochemistry.RESULTS:Baron,SDS,SAS scores were significant-ly decreased in moxibustion group(P＜0.05),IB-DQ score was significantly greater in the moxibus-tion group than in the sham moxibustion group(P＜0.05).Histopathology of mucosal biopsies showed that both two groups improved in muco-sa after treatment.The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-2,interleukin-12,in-terferon-y,and TLR4,lipopolysaccharide,myeloid differentiation factor 88,interleukin receptor asso-ciated kinase,tumor necrosis factor receptor asso-ciated factor 6 and nuclear factor kappa-B p65 were significantly lower in the moxibustion group than in the sham moxibustion group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:This study showed that HPM at Qi-hai(CV6),Tianshu(ST25)and Shangjuxu(ST37)acu-points is effective to relieve symptoms,anxiety,de-pression and improving life quality in UC patients,which may be related to the immune regulation of HPM on TLR4 signaling pathway.