ObjectiveTo observe the effect of point-moxibustion on gastrointestinal motility, mRNA and protein expressions of ghrelin and growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR-1a) in lateral septal nucleus of rats with diabetic gastroparesis (DGP), and to investigate the central regulatory mechanism of DGP treatment with point-moxibustion.MethodsForty SPF-grade Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, an electroacupuncture (EA) group and a point-moxibustion group, with 10 rats in each group. A DGP rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 2% streptozotocin (STZ) with 8-week irregular high-sugar and high-fat diet in the model group, the EA group and the point-moxibustion group; and rats in the blank group were injected intraperitoneally with 0.1 mmoL/L (pH 4.5) citric acid-sodium citrate buffer with 8-week normal diet. Eight weeks later, rats in the EA group were treated by EA at Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6); while rats in the point-moxibustion group were treated by point-moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) for successive 15 d. Rats in the blank group and the model group were fixed as the control without intervention. After treatment, intestinal propulsion rate and gastric emptying rate were measured. The mRNA and protein expressions of ghrelin and GHSR-1a in the lateral septal nucleus were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot (WB).ResultsCompared with the blank group, the intestinal propulsion rate and gastric emptying rate of the model group were significantly lower (both P<0.01); compared with the model group, the intestinal propulsion rate and gastric emptying rate of the EA group and the point-moxibustion group increased significantly (all P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expressions of ghrelin and GHSR-1a were lower in the model group than those in the blank group (all P<0.01). The mRNA and protein expressions of ghrelin and GHSR-1a were significantly higher in the EA group and the point-moxibustion group than those in the model group (all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the EA group and the point-moxibustion group (all P>0.05).ConclusionPoint-moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) can increase the intestinal propulsion rate and gastric emptying rate of DGP rats, and promote the mRNA and protein expressions of ghrelin and GHSR-1a in the central nervous system. The mechanism may be related to the activation of ghrelin pathway in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus-lateral septal nucleus.
[1]Hunan Univ Chinese Med, Changsha 410208, Hunan, Peoples R China.
[2]Liuyang Hosp Chinese Med, Liuyang 410300, Hunan, Peoples R China.
[3]Shanghai Univ Tradit Chinese Med, Yueyang Hosp Integrated Chinese & Western Med, Shanghai 200437, Peoples R China.
(8.0+极速模式)