title: [Effects of acupuncture stimulation of different acupoint groups on sleeping latency, serum and hippocampal TNF-α and IL-25 contents in rats with gastric mucosal injury].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of acupuncture intervention on gastric ulcer (GU) and sleeping quality from the viewpoint of brain-gut axis which plays an important role in the regulation of many vital functions in the body.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male Wistar rats were randomized into normal control, GU model, acupuncture of "Zhongwan"(CV 12)-"Zusanli"(ST 36, gastric function regulating acupoints), acupuncture of "Shenmai" (BL 62)-"Zhaohai" (KI 6, sleep-promotion acupoints), and acupuncture of CV 12-ST 36+ BL 62-KI 6 (combined treatment) groups, with 8 rats in each group. GU model was established by intragastric perfusion of dehydrated alcohol (1 mL/rat), and sleep model established by intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium (40 mg/kg) after the last treatment. The abovementioned acupoints were punctured with filiform needles and stimulated by manipulating the needle for about 30 s, once every 5 min during 20 min of needle retention. The treatment was conducted once daily for five days. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-25(IL-25) in the serum and hippocampal tissues were detected by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the normal control group, the gastric ulcer index score, barbiturate-induced sleeping time, and TNF-α and IL-25 contents in both serum and hippocampus were significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Following acupuncture treatment, in comparison with the model group, the gastric ulcer index score, barbiturate-induced sleeping time, and TNF-α and IL-25 contents in both serum and hippocampus were significantly down-regulated in the CV 12-ST 36, BL 62-KI 6 and combined treatment groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The effects of the CV 12-ST 36 and combined treatment groups were remarkably superior to those of the BL 62-KI 6 group in down-regulating ulcer index score, serum IL-25, and hippocampal TNF-α and IL-25 contents (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In addition, the effects of the BL 62-KI 6 and combined treatment groups was considerably better than that of the CV 12-ST 36 group in shortening barbiturate-induced sleeping time (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The effect of the combined treatment group was markedly better than that of the CV 12-ST 36 and BL 62-KI 6 groups in lowering serum TNF-α content (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture stimulation of CV 12, ST 36, KI 6 and BL 62 can relieve the gastric mucosal lesion, and shorten barbiturate-induced sleeping time in gastric ulcer rats, which may be related to its effects in reducing TNF-α and IL-25 contents in the serum and hippocampus tissues, suggesting a correlation between the gastrointestinal disorder and sleeping.
authors.forename: Ying-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ya-Nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hui-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012890:Sleep; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C504693:interleukin-25, rat