title: Changes in small intestinal motility and related hormones by acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the effects of acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) on the hormonal changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice received acupuncture stimulation at acupoint ST 36 or Quchi (LI 11) once a day for 3 or 5 days in the acupuncture-stimulated groups, but not received in the normal group (n=6 in each group). On day 3 or 5, animals were given 0.1 mL of charcoal orally with a bulbed steel needle, 30 min after the last acupuncture stimulation. Ten minutes later, mice were anesthetized, and the intestinal transit and the concentrations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), motilin, ghrelin and gastrin in the serum were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to no acupuncture stimulation, acupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days increased the intestinal transit and down-regulated the concentration of VIP and up-regulated the concentrations of motilin, ghrelin and gastrin (P<0.05 or 0.01), whereas acupuncture stimulation at LI 11 did not change them signifificantly (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days enhances the small intestinal motility and regulates the secretion of hormones related to small intestinal motility.
authors: School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jung-Hee
authors: JH
authors: Jang
authors: School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
authors: Deuk-Joo
authors: DJ
authors: Lee
authors: School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
authors: Chang-Hwan
authors: CH
authors: Bae
authors: School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ki-Tae
authors: KT
authors: Ha
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.|Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
authors: Sunoh
authors: S
authors: Kwon
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hi-Joon
authors: HJ
authors: Park
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
authors: Dae-Hyun
authors: DH
authors: Hahm
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyejung
authors: H
authors: Lee
authors: School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea. kimst@pusan.ac.kr.
authors: Seungtae
authors: S
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones
keywords: acupuncture; gastrin; gastrointestinal motility; ghrelin; motilin; vasoactive intestinal peptide