Effect of acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal blood flow, gastric motiiity and brain-gut peptide

AIM： To observe the effect of acupuncture at Foot- Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal blood flow （GMBF）, gastric motility and brain-gut peptide. METHODS： Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups： normal control group, model group （group with gastric mucosal damage, GMD）, Sibai group （with acupuncture at Sibai point ＋ GMD）, Tianshu group （with acupuncture at Tianshu point ＋ GMD）, Zusanli group （with acupuncture at Zusanli point ＋ GMD） and non-acupoint group （with acupuncture at non-acupoint ＋ GMD）. The GMD model group was induced by infusing pure alcohol into gastric cavity. H2 Gas Clearance Test （HGCT） was used to measure GMBF, the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were measured by the method of aerocyst, the content of brain-gut peptide in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae were detected by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS： Inhibitory effect of the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were shown in model group, and the rates of frequency and amplitude changes were remarkably different from the normal control group （-19.41 ± 17.21 vs-4.71 ± 10.32, P 〈 0.05; -51.61 ± 29.02 vs 1.81 ± 14.12, P 〈 0.01）. In comparison with control group, the GMBF was 0.52 ± 0.161 mL vs 1.03 ± 0.255 mL per 100g tissue/min, P 〈 0.01, the content of motilin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 63.04 ± 7.77 pg/mL vs 72.91 ± 8.42 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05 and 50.96 ± 8.77 pg/mL vs 60.76 ± 8.05 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05, but the content of somatostatin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 179.85 ± 43.13 ng/g vs 90.54 ± 40.42 ng/g, P 〈 0.01 and 532.86 ± 122.58 ng/g vs 370.91 ± 76.29 ng/g, P 〈 0.05,respectively. In comparison with model group, the amplitude of gastric motility was 1.52 ± 20.13, -6.52 ± 23.31, 6.92 ± 25.21 vs -51.61 ± 29.02, P 〈 0.01 and GMBF was 0.694 ± 0.160 mL vs 0.893 ± 0.210 mL, 1.038 ± 0.301 mL vs 0.52 ± 0.161 mL per 100g tissue/rain, P 〈 0.01, respectively in Tianshu, Sibai and Zusanli groups, the content of motilin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 71.64 ± 9.35 pg/mL vs 63.04 ± 7.77 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05; 58.96 ± 6.69 pg/mL vs 50.96 ± 8.77 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05 in Zusanli group and 72.84 ± 8.62 pg/mL vs 63.04 ± 7.77 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05 in Sibai group, while the content of somatostatin in bulbus medullae in Tianshu, Sibai and Zusanli groups was 480.62 ± 151.69 ng/g, 388.53 ± 155.04 ng/g, 365.76 ± 143.93 ng/g vs 532.86 ± 122.58 ng/g, P 〈 0.05, respectively. CONCLUSION： Electro-acupuncture at acupoints of Foot-Yangming Meridian could enhance the gastric motility, improve GMBF, and regulate the content of motUin and somatostatin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus. The effects of acupuncture on GMBF and gastric motility may be related to the content of brain-gut peptide.

Effect of electro-acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian on somatostatin and expression of somatostatin receptor genes in rabbits with gastric ulcer

AIM： To discuss the protective effect of electroacupuncture at the Foot-Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal lesion, somatostatin （SS） and the expression of SS receptor genes （SSR1mRNA） in rabbits with gastric ulcer and to further explore the relative specificity of meridians and viscera at gene expression level. METHODS： Forty rabbits were randomly divided into control group （A）, gastric ulcer model group （B）, FootYangming Meridian group （C）, Foot-Shaoyang Meridian group （D） and Foot-Taiyang Meridian group （E）. The gastric ulcer model was prepared by infusing alcohol into stomach. Groups C-E were treated with electroacupuncture at points along the above meridians using meridian stimulating instruments for 7 days respectively. By the end of treatment, the index of gastric ulcer was determined, the amount of epidermal growth factor（EGF） and somatostatin was measured by radioimmunoassay （PJA）. SS-R1mRNA expression in gastric mucosa was determined by RT-PCR. RESULTS： The value of EGF in model group was obviously lower（73.6±14.8 vs 91.3±14.9 pg/mL, P〈 0.01） than that in control group. The index of gastric ulcer, content of SS and expression of SSRtmRNA in gastric mucosa were significantly higher than those in control group （24.88 ± 6.29 vs 8.50 ± 2.98 scores, P〈 0.01; 2978.6 ± 587.6 vs 1852.4 ± 361.7 mIU/mL, P〈 0.01; 2.56±0.25 vs 1.04±0.36, P〈0.01） . The value of EGF in Foot-Yangming Meridian group was higher than that in model group（92.2±6.7 vs 73.6±14.8 pg/mL, P〈 0.01）. The index of gastric ulcer, content of SS and expression of SS-R1mRNA in gastric mucosa were significantlylower than those in control group（10.88±3.23 vs 24.88±6.29 scores, P〈0.01; 1800.2±488 vs 2978.6±587.6 mIU/mL, P 〈 0.01; 1.07±0.08 vs 2.56±0.25mIU/mL, P〈0.01）. Compared to the model group, the content of SS and expression of SSRlmRNA in gastric mucosa in Foot-Shaoyang Meridian group decreased （2441.0±488. vs 2978.6± 587.6 mIU/mL, P〈 0.05; 1.73±0.16 vs 2.56±0.25 mIU/mL, P〈0.01）. But the above parameters in Foot-Taiyang Meridian group did not improve and were significantly different from those in Footoyangming Meridian group （P〈0.05） CONCLUSION： Electro-acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian can protect gastric mocusa against injury. The mechanism may be releted to the regulation of brain-gut peptides and the expression of SSRtmRNA.

Effect of electroacupunture on gastric mucosal intestinal trefoil factor gene expression of stress-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats

AIM： To investigate electroacupunture（EA） at the acupoints of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming（SMFY）, Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Yangming（SMFY） on gastric mucosal intestinal trefoil factor （ITF） gene expression detection in stress-induced rats with gastric mucosal lesion, and to explore the regulatory mechanism and significance of EA-related gastric mucosal protective effect. METHODS： Forty rats were randomly divided into 4 groups： Blank group, Model group, Model group＋EA at acupoints of SMFY group（＂SMFY group＂）, and Model group＋EA at acupoints of GMFY group（GMFY group）. All rats （except blank group） were made model by water immersion and restraint stress （WRS）. Then the gastric mucosa tissue in each rat was taken off alter assessment of gastric mucosal lesion index（GUI）, and the expression of ITF mRNA of the tissues was detected by reverse transcdption-polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR） method. RESULTS： Compared with Model group（S4.3± 1.34）, the GUI value in SMFY group （31±2.211 decreased significantly（P〈0.01）, so did that in GMFY group （39.8± 1.62, P〈0.05）, meanwhile GUI value in SMFY group was significantly lower than in GMFY group（P〈0.01）. Compared with Model group （0.65±0.01）, EA had a tendency to improve the expression of gastric mucosal ITFmRNA gene： such tendency existed in GMFY group （0.66±0.01） but with no signficant difference（P〉 0.05）, in SMFY group（0.76±0.01） with an extremely obvious difference （P〈0.01）, furthermore the expression in SMFY group was significantly higher than in GMFY group （P〈 0.01）.CONCLUSION： The gastric mucosal protective effect by EA at the acupoints of SMFY and GMFY was related to the expression variance of ITF, indicating certain meridian specificity exists, It could be one proof for the TCM theory ＂Relative pardcularity between SMFY and stomach＂.

Effects of Electroacupuncture at Different Points on Colorectal Distention-induced Changes in Blood Pressure, Electrogastrogram, Gastric Tension and Gastric Blood Flow

Objective: To investigate the specificity of the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at different acupoints on gastric functional activity and gastric blood flow after colorectal distension (CRD) in the rat. Methods: Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: a control group, a Zusanli group, a non-point group, a Taichong group and a Neiguan group. Rats were anesthetized after 18 h of fasting, and a rat model of nociceptive blood pressure elevation and abnormal electrogastrogram (EGG) and gastric tension (GT) was prepared by gasbag-induced CRD. EA was given bilaterally, and its effects on gastric blood flow (GBF) of the arcus vasculosi of the greater omentum, blood pressure, EGG fast wave properties, and gastric smooth muscle tension (GT) were quantified. Results: CRD induced an increase in blood pressure that was significantly inhibited by EA at all points (all P<0.05), and the inhibitory effects were greater in the Zusanli and Neiguan groups compared to the non-point group (both P<0.05). CRD also caused reductions in GT and GBF, and in the amplitude, frequency and duration of EGG waves (all P<0.05). These effects were also reversed by EA. The effects of EA on EGG wave amplitude, GT, and GBF were superior in the Zusanli group compared to the Taichong group, Neiguan group, and the non-point group. Conclusion: EA significantly counteracted CRD-induced changes in blood pressure, GBF, EGG, and GT. The effects of stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) were significantly greater compared to other points, indicating relative specificity of this acupoint.