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Changes in small intestinal motility and related hormones by acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) in mice

  • Acupuncture Research
  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To clarify the effects of acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) on the hormonal changes.

Methods

Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice received acupuncture stimulation at acupoint ST 36 or Quchi (LI 11) once a day for 3 or 5 days in the acupuncture-stimulated groups, but not received in the normal group (n=6 in each group). On day 3 or 5, animals were given 0.1 mL of charcoal orally with a bulbed steel needle, 30 min after the last acupuncture stimulation. Ten minutes later, mice were anesthetized, and the intestinal transit and the concentrations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), motilin, ghrelin and gastrin in the serum were measured.

Results

Compared to no acupuncture stimulation, acupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days increased the intestinal transit and down-regulated the concentration of VIP and up-regulated the concentrations of motilin, ghrelin and gastrin (P<0.05 or 0.01), whereas acupuncture stimulation at LI 11 did not change them signifificantly (P>0.05).

Conclusion

Acupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days enhances the small intestinal motility and regulates the secretion of hormones related to small intestinal motility.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Lakshmi Rajagopal for English proofreading.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea

    Jung-Hee Jang, Deuk-Joo Lee, Chang-Hwan Bae, Ki-Tae Ha & Seungtae Kim

  2. Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea

    Sunoh Kwon, Hi-Joon Park, Dae-Hyun Hahm & Hyejung Lee

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Sunoh Kwon

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  1. Jung-Hee Jang
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  2. Deuk-Joo Lee
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Correspondence to Seungtae Kim.

Additional information

Supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP, No. NRF- 2013R1A1A1005580)

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Jang, JH., Lee, DJ., Bae, CH. et al. Changes in small intestinal motility and related hormones by acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) in mice. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 23, 215–220 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2609-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2609-8

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