Effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on intestinal motility in mice

Abstract

To study the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on intestinal motility, the distance of intra-intestinal movement of a carbon solution injected into the stomach of a mouse was evaluated. Intestinal motility was also evaluated using several drugs to accelerate or reduce intestinal motility. Our results indicate that intestinal peristalsis was accelerated significantly by acupuncture at the abdomen, but suppressed by moxibustion. The intestinal peristalsis acceleration by vagostigmin was reduced significantly by both acupuncture and moxibustion, while the reduction of intestinal peristalsis by atropine was accelerated significantly. However, no remarkable changes of intestinal peristalsis were observed with treatment by acupuncture and moxibustion after reduction by epinephrine.