OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) on regulation of intestinal inflammatory reaction in rats with acute pancreatitis.

METHODSFifty-four SD rats were randomly divided into a severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) group, an electroacupuncture (EA) group and a sham-operation (SO) group, 18 cases in each group. 3.5% sodium cholate was used to made SAP model by retrograde injecting in cholangiopancreatic duct. After the success of model making, the EA group was treated with EA at bilateral Zusanli (ST 36) for 30 min. The SO group and the SAP group were fixed at the same time for 30 min without treatment. All the rats were killed at 3 h, 6 h and 12 h after modeling in batches. The pathological changes of pancreatic tissue and intestinal epithelium were observed, and the expression of small intestinal occludin protein and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB) were detected by immunohistochemical SP method.

RESULTSThe pathologic score and the expression of small intestinal NF-kappaB p65 at 3 h, 6 h and 12 h after modeling in the EA group and the SO group were significantly lower than those in the SAP group (all P < 0.05), and the expression of small intestinal occludin protein in the EA group and the SO group were significantly higher than that in the SAP group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) can alleviate pancreatic injury by reducing the expression of NF-kappaB p65 and enhancing the expression of occludin protein in the intestinal epithelium in the SAP model rats.