Effect of acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal blood flow, gastric motility and brain-gut peptide

Abstract

Aim: To observe the effect of acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF), gastric motility and brain-gut peptide.

Methods: Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal control group, model group (group with gastric mucosal damage, GMD), Sibai group (with acupuncture at Sibai point + GMD), Tianshu group (with acupuncture at Tianshu point + GMD), Zusanli group (with acupuncture at Zusanli point + GMD) and non-acupoint group (with acupuncture at non-acupoint + GMD). The GMD model group was induced by infusing pure alcohol into gastric cavity. H(2) Gas Clearance Test (HGCT) was used to measure GMBF, the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were measured by the method of aerocyst, the content of brain-gut peptide in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae were detected by radioimmunoassay.

Results: Inhibitory effect of the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were shown in model group, and the rates of frequency and amplitude changes were remarkably different from the normal control group (-19.41 +/- 17.21 vs -4.71 +/- 10.32, P < 0.05; -51.61 +/- 29.02 vs 1.81 +/- 14.12, P < 0.01). In comparison with control group, the GMBF was 0.52 +/- 0.161 mL vs 1.03 +/- 0.255 mL per 100g tissue/min, P < 0.01, the content of motilin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 63.04 +/- 7.77 pg/mL vs 72.91 +/- 8.42 pg/mL, P < 0.05 and 50.96 +/- 8.77 pg/mL vs 60.76 +/- 8.05 pg/mL, P < 0.05, but the content of somatostatin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 179.85 +/- 43.13 ng/g vs 90.54 +/- 40.42 ng/g, P < 0.01 and 532.86 +/- 122.58 ng/g vs 370.91 +/- 76.29 ng/g, P < 0.05,respectively. In comparison with model group, the amplitude of gastric motility was 1.52 +/- 20.13, -6.52 +/- 23.31, 6.92 +/- 25.21 vs -51.61 +/- 29.02, P < 0.01 and GMBF was 0.694 +/- 0.160 mL vs 0.893 +/- 0.210 mL, 1.038 +/- 0.301 mL vs 0.52 +/- 0.161 mL per 100g tissue/min, P < 0.01, respectively in Tianshu, Sibai and Zusanli groups, the content of motilin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 71.64 +/- 9.35 pg/mL vs 63.04 +/- 7.77 pg/mL, P < 0.05; 58.96 +/- 6.69 pg/mL vs 50.96 +/- 8.77 pg/mL, P < 0.05 in Zusanli group and 72.84 +/- 8.62 pg/mL vs 63.04 +/- 7.77 pg/mL, P < 0.05 in Sibai group, while the content of somatostatin in bulbus medullae in Tianshu, Sibai and Zusanli groups was 480.62 +/- 151.69 ng/g, 388.53 +/- 155.04 ng/g, 365.76 +/- 143.93 ng/g vs 532.86 +/- 122.58 ng/g, P < 0.05, respectively.

Conclusion: Electro-acupuncture at acupoints of Foot-Yangming Meridian could enhance the gastric motility, improve GMBF, and regulate the content of motilin and somatostatin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus. The effects of acupuncture on GMBF and gastric motility may be related to the content of brain-gut peptide.