title: [Effect of manual acupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36) on gastric motility, and SP and motilin activities in gastric antrum and nucleus raphe magnus in gastric hyperactivity and hypoactivity rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the changes of gastric motility and levels of substance P (SP) and motilin (MTL) in the gastric antrum and Nucleus Raphe Magnus (NRM) after manual acupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36) in gastric hyperactivity and hypoactivity rats, so as to analyze the role of NRM in acupuncture mediated adjustment of gastric motility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty SD rats were randomly and equally divided into control, gastric hyperactivity (G-Hypera) model, gastric hypoactivity (G-Hypoa) model, acupuncture + G-Hypera and acupuncture + G-Hypoa groups (10 rats/group). G-Hypera model was established by intravenous (tail vein) injection of Maxolon (0.5 mL/200 g) and G-Hypoa model established by intravenous injection of Atropin (0.5 mL/200 g), respectively. After insertion of acupuncture needles into bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36), the needles were repeatedly manipulated at a frequency of about 2 Hz for 5 min. The intragastric pressure was recorded and analyzed using a physiological signal analysis system. The SP and MTL contents of gastric antrum were measured by ELISA, and SP and MTL immunoactivity of NRM was determined by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In gastric hyperactivity rats, compared with the control group, the intragastric pressure (not systolic frequency), SP and MTL contents in the gastric antrum and MTL immunoactivity of NRM were significantly increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while SP immunoactivity of NRM was apparently decreased in the G-Hypera model group (P < 0.01). After acupuncture stimulation, the intragastric pressure, gastric SP and MTL contents, and MTL immunoactivity of NRM were all significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and SP immunoactivity of NRM was markedly up-regulated (P < 0.01) in comparison with the model group. In gastric hypoactivity rats, compared with the control group, the intragastric pressure and gastric systolic frequency, gastric SP and MTL contents, and MTL immunoactivity of NRM were significantly decreased (P < 0.05, PF < 0.01), while SP immunoactivity of NRM was remarkably up-regulated in the G-Hypoa model group (P < 0.01). After acupuncture stimulation, the above-mentioned 6 indexes were reversed significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in comparison with those of the model group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36) has an obvious bi-directional adjustment effect on gastric motility, which is closely associated with its functions in regulating gastric SP and MTL level and the expression of MTL and SP in the NRM of brainstem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acu-moxibustion, Jiangxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, China. 840557102@qq.com
authors.forename: Chun-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Ya-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shou-Xiang
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Dong-Mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009037:Motilin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013270:Stomach / Q000502:physiology; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P; D009037:Motilin