title: [Effects and efficacy observation of acupuncture on serum 5-HT in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and discuss its action mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven cases were randomly divided into two groups. The acupuncture group (29 cases) was treated with acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) etc., once a day and 5 times per week. The medication group (28 cases) was treated with oral administration of pinaverium (50 mg each time, 3 times a day) and live combined bifidobacterium and lactobacillus tablet (4 tablets each time, 3 times a day). Four weeks were taken as a treatment course in both groups. Before and after treatment ELISA method was applied to measure the level of serum 5-HT of the patients in two groups. The scores of clinical symptoms were observed before treatment, after one and four weeks of treatment and 3 months after treatment, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of serum 5-HT was significantly reduced in the acupuncture group and medication group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), which had no statistical difference between two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the medication group, the scores of clinical symptoms were obviously improved in the acupuncture group after one and four weeks of treatment and 3 months after treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 89.66% (26/29) in the acupuncture group, which was superior to 67.85% (19/28) in the medication group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of acupuncture is superior to that of medicine in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. The acupuncture treatment could reduce the visceral sensitivity, improve the intestinal motility and regulate the imbalance of brain-intestine interactive function.
authors.forename: Dao-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Kai-Tao
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Lu-Zhou
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jun-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li-Xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ji-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dai-Yan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin