title: Effects of electroacupuncture at ST25 and BL25 in aSennae-induced rat model of diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electroacupuncture (EA) may have a role in the treatment of diarrhoea symptoms. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is an important neurotransmitter and paracrine signalling molecule in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which initiates peristaltic, secretory, vasodilatory, vagal and nociceptive reflexes. In addition, according to the results of our previous report, EA stimulation mediates GI peristalsis by increasing expression of 5-HT and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of EA at acupuncture points ST25 and BL25 in a rat model of diarrhoea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) model was induced byFolium Sennaein 24 rats, which remained untreated (n=6) or received EA at ST25 (n=6), BL25 (n=6) or the combination of ST25 and BL25 (n=6). A control group of healthy rats was also included (n=6). After treatment, changes in loose stool and small intestine transit rates, enterochromaffin (EC) cell number, expression of TPH, and faecal/colonic 5-HT contents were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Loose stool and small intestine transit rates, EC cell numbers, colonic TPH expression and faecal/colonic 5-HT content of IBS-D rats were significantly increased relative to controls (p<0.05) and all these parameters were improved by EA at ST25, BL25, or ST25 and BL25 in combination (all p<0.05 vs untreated IBS-D rats).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA at ST25 and/or BL25 had a positive effect on objective markers of diarrhoea in a IBS-D rat model and induced changes in EC cell number, colonic TPH and 5-HT contents. The effects of EA stimulation at ST25/BL25 on IBS-D rats may be mediated by excitation of sympathetic nerves.
authors.affiliation: Innovation Research Centre of Acupuncture Combined with Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xi'an City, 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, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China.|Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhibin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Innovation Research Centre of Acupuncture Combined with Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China.|Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Wenmin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Innovation Research Centre of Acupuncture Combined with Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xi'an City, 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, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: College of Public Hygiene, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of English, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: College of Basic Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an-Xianyang New Ecomic Zone, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin
keywords: GASTROENTEROLOGY)