Comparative effect of electroacupuncture and moxibustion on the expression of substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To compare the impacts of electroacupuncture(EA) and moxibustion(Mox) on the primary gastrointestinal symptoms and the expressions of colonic mucosa-associated neuropeptide substance P(SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP)in patients with either diarrhea-predominant or constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D and IBS-C,respectively).METHODS: Eighty-five IBS patients were randomly allocated to the EA and Mox groups. Zusanli(ST 36)and Shangjuxu(ST 37) were selected as acupoints for electroacupuncture or warm moxibustion treatment once a day for 14 consecutive days. Before and after the treatment sessions,a Visual Analog Pain Scale and the Bristol Stool Form Scale were used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms. There were four dropout cases,leaving 81 participants(41 with IBS-D and 40 with IBS-C) who volunteered to undergo colonoscopy before and after the treatment sessions. During colonoscopy,sigmoid mucosa were collected to detect SP and VIP expression using immunohistochemistry assay.RESULTS: Both EA and Mox treatments were effective at relieving abdominal pain in IBS-D and IBS-C patients. However,Mox was more effective at reducing diarrhea in IBS-D patients,whereas EA was more effective at improving constipation in IBS-C patients. EA and Mox treatments both down-regulated the abnormally increased SP and VIP expression in the colonic mucosa,with no significant difference shown between the two treatments.CONCLUSION: Both EA and Mox treatments are effective at ameliorating gastrointestinal symptoms by reducing SP and VIP expression in the colonic mucosa of IBS patients.

Ameliorating Effect and Potential Mechanism of Camellia Oil on Constipated Mice

Constipation is a global epidemic. To evaluate the ameliorating effect of camellia oil on constipation,two slowtransit costive mice models were established by water deprivation or sucralfate gavage. Administration of camellia oil（ 4. 0 and 8. 0 mL/kg/day） significantly shortened the defecation time,increased defecation mass and fecal water content,with efficacies comparable to that of hemp seed oil. Intestinal propulsion test showed that camellia oil significantly enhanced the propelling rates of the charcoal powder in the intestine. Meanwhile,camellia oil also significantly decreased the serum levels of nitric oxide（ NO）,nitric oxide synthase（ NOS） and vasoactive intestinal peptide（ VIP） and increased serum substance P in costive animals. These results suggested that camellia oil can largely relieve slowtransit constipation and enhance the gastrointestinal motility through modulation of serum gastrointestinal motility key factors such as NO,NOS and VIP and substance P.