Xia Minghui, Yu Zhi, Wang Yuhang, Liu Donghua, Wang Yan, Wu Shuang, Xu Bin
Department of Acupuncture, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China,
Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Obes Facts. 2025 Mar 19:1-16. doi: 10.1159/000545330.
Simple obesity is an increasingly prevalent chronic condition. While electroacupuncture (EA) has demonstrated potential in addressing this issue, its effectiveness may be hindered by insufficient continuous stimulation and challenges related to patient adherence. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of EA alone versus EA combined with press needles in the treatment of simple obesity and to explore the underlying mechanisms contributing to weight loss.
Eighty simple obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25.0 kg/m2 were divided into two groups: the observation group (treated with EA combined with press needles) and the control group (treated with EA alone). The efficacy of the treatments was evaluated by monitoring obesity indicators. Additionally, obesity rat models were established through a high-fat diet (HFD), and rats were randomly assigned to three groups: obesity control group (no treatment), EA group, and EA combined with press needles group. Treatment outcomes were assessed by monitoring obesity indicators, examining adipose and liver cell morphology using staining techniques, and evaluating intestinal lymphatic vessel function through qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence analyses.
The patients in the observation group exhibited significantly lower body weight (BW), BMI, body fat percentage (F%), abdominal circumference (A), waist circumference (WC), as well as serum levels of intestinal lymphatic function-related factors such as VEGF-C, delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), and adrenomedullin (ADM) compared to the control group. Similarly, compared to EA group, EA combined with press needles significantly decreased obesity indexes, serum intestinal lymphatic function-related factors, and improved lymphatic vessel function in obese rats. Mechanistically, the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was inhibited by EA combined with press needles intervention.
The combined therapy of EA with press needles had shown significantly superior efficacy in treating simple obesity compared to EA treatment alone. It achieved this by modulating the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, improving lymphatic vessel structure and function, and ultimately inhibiting obesity.
单纯性肥胖是一种日益普遍的慢性疾病。虽然电针（EA）已显示出解决这一问题的潜力，但其有效性可能会受到持续刺激不足以及患者依从性相关挑战的阻碍。本研究旨在比较单纯电针与电针联合揿针治疗单纯性肥胖的疗效，并探讨体重减轻的潜在机制。
将80名体重指数（BMI）≥25.0kg/m²的单纯性肥胖患者分为两组：观察组（采用电针联合揿针治疗）和对照组（仅采用电针治疗）。通过监测肥胖指标评估治疗效果。此外，通过高脂饮食（HFD）建立肥胖大鼠模型，并将大鼠随机分为三组：肥胖对照组（不治疗）、电针组和电针联合揿针组。通过监测肥胖指标、使用染色技术检查脂肪和肝细胞形态以及通过qRT-PCR、蛋白质免疫印迹和免疫荧光分析评估肠道淋巴管功能来评估治疗结果。
与对照组相比，观察组患者的体重（BW）、BMI、体脂百分比（F%）、腹围（A）、腰围（WC）以及血清中肠道淋巴管功能相关因子如血管内皮生长因子C（VEGF-C）、Delta样配体4（DLL4）和肾上腺髓质素（ADM）水平均显著降低。同样，与电针组相比，电针联合揿针显著降低了肥胖大鼠的肥胖指标、血清肠道淋巴管功能相关因子，并改善了淋巴管功能。从机制上讲，电针联合揿针干预抑制了VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/PI3K/AKT信号通路。
与单纯电针治疗相比，电针联合揿针的联合疗法在治疗单纯性肥胖方面显示出显著优越的疗效。它通过调节VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/PI3K/AKT信号通路、改善淋巴管结构和功能并最终抑制肥胖来实现这一目标。
