[Experimental study on influence of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy on apoptosis of colonic epithelial cells in rats of ulcerative colitis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in adjusting apoptosis of colonic epithelial cells of the rat of ulcerative colitis (UC).


METHODS
UC rats were randomly divided into four groups including normal control group (NC), model control group (MC), herbs-partitioned moxibustion group (HPM) and electroacupuncture group (EA). The HPM and EA groups were respectively treated with herbs-partitioned moxibustion and electroacupuncture at "Qihai" (CV 6) and bilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25). Then the colon of the rat was taken and the changes of the tissue structure and the cell apoptosis were observed by electron microscope and flow cytometer respectively.


RESULTS
The colon tissue showed histopathological changes, and apoptosis of epithelial cells increased in the model mice of UC as compared with the normal rat. Electroacupuncture and drug-separated moxibustion could significantly decrease the abnormal apoptosis of epithelial cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The adjustment of the abnormal apoptosis of epithelial cells is one of the mechanisms of drug-separated moxibustion and electroacupuncture treating UC.
Wu
Huan-gan
HG
Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai 200030, China. wuhuangan@citiz.net
Huang
Zhen
Z
Liu
Hui-rong
HR
Zhang
Wei
W
Shi
Yin
Y
Zhu
Yi
Y
Cui
Yun-hua
YH
Liu
Shi-Min
SM
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000628:therapy; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D009071:Moxibustion; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley