Tian Xiao Yu, Bian Zhao Xiang, Hu Xu Guang, Zhang Xiao Jun, Liu Liang, Zhang Hongqi
School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR.
Brain Res. 2006 May 9;1088(1):101-8. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.03.014. Epub 2006 May 2.
Acupuncture has long been used for patients with irritable bowel syndrome. However, it has remained unclear. The aim of this study was to testify the effect of electro-acupuncture(EA) on (1) visceral hypersensitivity induced by the mechanical colorectal irritation during postnatal development of rats, and (2) stress-induced colonic motility changes on rats with chronic visceral hypersensitivity. The abdominal withdrawal reflex (pain threshold and score) for visceral hypersensitivity and fecal pellet output for motor dysfunction were selected as two indexes for measurement. In addition, the effect of EA on 5-HT(4a) receptor and serotonin transporter (SERT) expression in the colon mucosa was analyzed semi-quantitatively through immunohistochemistry and 5-HT concentration in the colon tissue was observed through spectro-photo-fluorimeter detection, respectively. Our results showed that EA significantly elevated pain threshold, decreased the scores and also decreased fecal pellet output during water avoid stress. Furthermore, EA decreased 5-HT concentration in colon in rats with CVH and CVH rats with water avoidance stress, and increased the 5-HT(4a) and SERT expression in rats with CVH. Thus, it can be concluded that EA attenuates behavioral hyperalgesia and stress-induced colonic motor dysfunction in CVH rats via serotonergic pathway.
长期以来，针灸一直用于肠易激综合征患者。然而，其作用机制尚不清楚。本研究旨在验证电针（EA）对（1）大鼠出生后发育过程中机械性结肠刺激诱导的内脏超敏反应，以及（2）慢性内脏超敏反应大鼠应激诱导的结肠动力变化的影响。选择腹部退缩反射（疼痛阈值和评分）作为内脏超敏反应的指标，粪便颗粒排出量作为运动功能障碍的指标进行测量。此外，分别通过免疫组织化学半定量分析EA对结肠黏膜中5-HT(4a)受体和5-羟色胺转运体（SERT）表达的影响，并通过分光荧光计检测观察结肠组织中5-羟色胺浓度。我们的结果表明，EA显著提高疼痛阈值，降低评分，并在水回避应激期间减少粪便颗粒排出量。此外，EA降低了慢性内脏超敏反应大鼠和水回避应激的慢性内脏超敏反应大鼠结肠中的5-羟色胺浓度，并增加了慢性内脏超敏反应大鼠中5-HT(4a)和SERT的表达。因此，可以得出结论，EA通过5-羟色胺能途径减轻慢性内脏超敏反应大鼠的行为性痛觉过敏和应激诱导的结肠运动功能障碍。
