Ma Tie-Ming, Xu Na, Ma Xian-De, Bai Zeng-Hua, Tao Xing, Yan Hong-Chi
Tie-Ming Ma, Na Xu, Xian-De Ma, Zeng-Hua Bai, Xing Tao, Hong-Chi Yan, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang 110847, Liaoning Province, China.
World J Gastroenterol. 2016 Feb 28;22(8):2566-75. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i8.2566.
To observe the efficacy and mechanism of grain-sized moxibustion at different acupoints in a rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC).
Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, UC model, grain-sized moxibustion at a single acupoint (CV 12), grain-sized moxibustion at two acupoints (CV 12 and CV 4), grain-sized moxibustion at three acupoints (CV 12, CV 4, and ST 36), and medication groups (n = 8/group). The UC model was established by enema of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. Direct moxibustion was used once a day for 7 d. Disease activity index (DAI) was evaluated before and after the treatment. Morphologic changes of intestinal tissue were observed under an optical microscope. The expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) in colonic tissue was detected using Western blot, and the levels of occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) mRNAs were detected using reverse transcription PCR.
Compared with the control group, the intestinal mucosae were incomplete in the model group, glandular structures were irregular, and submucosae were edematous, hyperemic, and infiltrated with inflammatory cells. The DAI scores and expression of TNF-α and p38MAPK were increased significantly in the model group compared to controls (Ps < 0.01), while the mRNA levels of occludin and ZO-1 were reduced significantly (Ps < 0.01). Compared with the model group, colonic mucosa and the arrangement of glands were complete and regular in the treatment groups. DAI scores and the expression of TNF-α and p38MAPK were reduced significantly in moxibustion groups compared to controls (Ps < 0.01), while the mRNA levels of occludin and ZO-1 were increased significantly (Ps < 0.01). The improvements in the above indices in the three acupoints group and the medication group were superior to those in the single and two acupoints groups (all P < 0.05).
Reduction of TNF-α and p38MAPK and increased expression of occludin and ZO-1 in colonic tissue represent a potential mechanism for improved intestinal mucosal tissue repair with grain-sized moxibustion.
观察麦粒灸不同穴位对溃疡性结肠炎（UC）大鼠模型的疗效及作用机制。
将Sprague-Dawley大鼠随机分为对照组、UC模型组、单穴麦粒灸组（中脘穴）、双穴麦粒灸组（中脘穴和关元穴）、三穴麦粒灸组（中脘穴、关元穴和足三里穴）及药物治疗组（每组n = 8）。采用三硝基苯磺酸灌肠法建立UC模型。每日进行直接灸，共7天。治疗前后评估疾病活动指数（DAI）。在光学显微镜下观察肠道组织的形态学变化。采用蛋白质免疫印迹法检测结肠组织中肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α和p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（p38MAPK）的表达，采用逆转录聚合酶链反应检测闭合蛋白和紧密连接蛋白-1（ZO-1）mRNA水平。
与对照组相比，模型组肠黏膜不完整，腺结构不规则，黏膜下层水肿、充血并伴有炎性细胞浸润。与对照组相比，模型组DAI评分及TNF-α和p38MAPK表达显著升高（P<0.01），而闭合蛋白和ZO-1的mRNA水平显著降低（P<0.01）。与模型组相比，各治疗组结肠黏膜及腺排列完整、规则。与模型组相比，麦粒灸组DAI评分及TNF-α和p38MAPK表达显著降低（P<0.01），而闭合蛋白和ZO-1的mRNA水平显著升高（P<0.01）。三穴麦粒灸组和药物治疗组上述指标的改善优于单穴和双穴麦粒灸组（均P<0.05）。
结肠组织中TNF-α和p38MAPK的降低以及闭合蛋白和ZO-1表达的增加是麦粒灸改善肠道黏膜组织修复的潜在机制。
