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Electroacupuncture ameliorates abnormal defaecation and regulates corticotrophin-releasing factor in a rat model of stress

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment on abnormal defaecation in a rat model of chronic heterotypic stress (CHS) and investigate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: 20 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal (n=6), CHS (n=7), and CHS+E...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Zhao, Yuxue, Cui, Changxiang, Yu, Xiaochun, Xin, Juanjuan, Lu, Fengyan, Gao, Junhong, Zhu, Bing
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: BMJ Publishing Group 2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466919/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27628238
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2016-011080
Descripción
Sumario:OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment on abnormal defaecation in a rat model of chronic heterotypic stress (CHS) and investigate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: 20 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal (n=6), CHS (n=7), and CHS+EA (n=7). Rats in the CHS group and CHS+EA groups received four different types of stressors for 7 days. For rats in the CHS+EA group, EA was applied at ST36 in the bilateral hind legs for 30 min before each stress-loading session. Rats in the normal group did not receive stressors or EA treatment. The faecal pellets of each rat were collected and weighed at a fixed time every day. Protein expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus and colorectal tissues was measured by Western blotting at the end of the experiment on the 7th day. RESULTS: After 7 consecutive days of CHS, the number of faecal pellets, faecal wet weight, and faecal water content were significantly increased in the CHS group compared with the normal group (p=0.035, p=0.008 and p=0.008, respectively). All three parameters were significantly decreased in CHS+EA versus CHS groups (p=0.030, p=0.011 and p=0.006, respectively). Stress significantly increased CRF expression in both the hypothalamus and colorectal tissues. The excessive CRF responses seen following CHS were significantly suppressed by EA treatment. CONCLUSIONS: EA treatment can ameliorate stress loading induced abnormal defaecation in rats and decrease protein expression of CRF centrally (hypothalamus) and peripherally (colorectal tissues), suggesting a potentially therapeutic role for EA in stress-related responses.