title: The effect and mechanism of electroacupuncture at LI11 and ST37 on constipation in a rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electroacupuncture (EA) is used clinically for the treatment of constipation. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) plays an important role in colonic motility; however it is unknown whether alterations in colonic 5-HT are associated with EA. In this study, the effect and mechanism of EA at acupuncture points LI11 and ST37 were examined using a cold saline-induced rat model of constipation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rat constipation model was induced by cold saline gavage in 24 Sprague-Dawley rats. A further six rats were included as a Control group. The constipated rats were divided into four groups (n=6 each): a Constipation group that remained untreated; a Constipation+LI11 group that received EA at LI11; a Constipation+ST37 groups that received EA at ST37; and a Constipation+LI11+ST37 group that received EA at both LI11 and ST37. After EA treatment, faecal water content, defaecation frequency, and gastrointestinal (GI) transit were measured, as well as the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) in colonic tissues (by Western blot analysis) and 5-HT in both faeces and colonic tissues (by ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three EA-treated groups demonstrated significant improvements in faecal water content, defaecation frequency and GI transit (p<0.05). In addition, TPH and 5-HT expression were both increased by EA at LI11 and/or ST37 (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the three EA groups for any outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA at LI11 and/or ST37 had a positive effect on objective markers of constipation in a rat model. In addition, EA increased 5-HT and TPH in the colonic tissues.
authors.affiliation: Innovation Research Centre of Acupuncture combined with Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Xianwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Innovation Research Centre of Acupuncture combined with Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhibin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Innovation Research Centre of Acupuncture combined with Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Wenmin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Innovation Research Centre of Acupuncture combined with Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urologic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of English, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D003248:Constipation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D003672:Defecation; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005243:Feces; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase
keywords: GASTROENTEROLOGY)