title: Electro-acupuncture decreases 5-HT, CGRP and increases NPY in the brain-gut axis in two rat models of Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(D-IBS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To examine whether electro-acupuncture (EA) could decrease 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and increase neuro-peptide Y (NPY) in the brain-gut axis (BGA) in D-IBS using rat models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were randomly exposed to unpredictable chronic stress for 3 weeks followed by 1-hour acute restraint stress (CAS) after 7 days of rest, or daily gavage of Senna decoction (6 g/kg) plus chronic restraint stress (for a duration of 2 h, starting from 1 h prior to the gavage) for 2 weeks (ISC). The content of 5-HT, CGRP and NPY in the distal colon, spinal cord, hypothalamus was examined at the end of the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1. The two rat models exhibited similar characteristics, e.g., increased number of fecal pellets expelled in 1 h, decreased sacchar-intake, decreased CRD, elevated 5-HT, CGRP content and decreased NPY in the distal colon, spinal cord, hypothalamus (P < 0.05 vs. that in healthy control rats). 2. A series of equations was developed based on correlation regression analysis. The analysis results demonstrated that 5-HT mediates the changes in hypothalamus, spinal cord and colon. 5-HT and CGRP in spinal cord was closely correlated with general behavior evaluation and other transmitters in BGA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. In comparison to 5-HT, CGRP and NPY (particularly in the spinal cord) had closer relationship with the D-IBS symptoms induced by either stress factors or Senna decotion. 2. EA treatment could restore the brain-gut axis to balanced levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China. wxl20021116@aliyun.com.|Chinese Medicine Hospital of Jiangsu Province, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China. wxl20021116@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Xiaoliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Mycology, Department of Dermatology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
authors.forename: Yunfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Nanjing Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Houxu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Lixia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D003967:Diarrhea; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007031:Hypothalamus; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D012701:Serotonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide