[Effect of acupuncture of zusanli (St. 36) on the content of beta-endorphin of the gastrointestinal tract in rats].

The present study attempts to search the mechanism with which Zusanli regulates the gastrointestinal function by using radioimmunoassay to measure the contents of immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-beta-Ep) in gastrointestine, anterior lobe of the pituitary and plasma of the rats after electro-acupuncture of Zusanli. The findings showed that the contents of ir-beta-Ep in the gastroparietal mucous membrane, pyloric mucous membrane, duodenum, jejunum and ileum were significantly elevated 30 min after electro-acupuncture of Zusanli. But the contents of ir-beta-Ep in the anterior lobe of the pituitary and plasma were not changed. These results suggested that it may be through the endogenous opiate peptides in gastrointestine that Zusanli regulates the function of the gastrointestinal tract.