Objective We aimed to explore the therapeutic mechanism of electroacupuncture at Yintang(EX-HN3),Neiguan(PC6)and Zusanli(ST36)on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis(HPA)of functional dyspepsia(FD)rats.Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and EA group.The FD model was replicated by tail clamping,irregular diet,and filling the stomach with ice of Saline Solution.After modeling,the EA group received acupuncture treatment for 1 time day,30 minutes time,for 14 days.Recording the general state of the rat.Detection of locomotion and catatonia in rats by open field test.HE staining to observe the morphology and inflammation of gastric mucosa in rats.PCR detection of mRNA expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptor and corticotropin-releasing hormone in rat hypothalamus.Detection of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor-2 and NOD-like receptor protein 6 inflammasome protein expression in rat duodenum by Western blotting.Alcian blue staining was used to detect the expression of rat duodenum goblet cells.Results Compared with the blank group,the general state,distance,speed,duodenum CRHR2 and NLRP6 proteins in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),the hypothalamic 5-HT3R and CRH mRNA were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the general state,distance,speed,expression of CRHR2,NLRP6 protein and goblet cells in the duodenum of rats in the EA group were significantly increased(P<0.05),the 5-HT3R and CRH mRNA in the hypothalamus were significantly decreased(P<0.05).In the model group,the connective tissue of the gastric mucosa was loosely arranged,the submucosa had mild edema,and there were some lymphocytes.The connective tissue of the gastric mucosa of the rats in the blank group and the electroacupuncture group was closely arranged,and there was no obvious proliferation of interstitial cells and no inflammatory cells.Conclusion EA can increase the expression of CRHR2,NLRP6 protein and goblet cells in the duodenum,and inhibit the expression of 5-HT3R and CRH in the hypothalamus.EA can improve gastrointestinal motility and locomotion,relieve anxiety,repair the mucosal barrier of the defective intestine,and restore the function of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis.

Acupuncture has been proved to be safe and effective by large-scale and authoritative clinical observation at home and abroad. However, in recent years, the results of some randomized controlled trials of acupuncture in JAMA showed no significant difference between acupuncture effect and sham acupuncture effect. Acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical practice is a summary of academic and clinical rules. Different from chemical drugs, the amount of stimulation, methods of operation and techniques vary. At present, sham acupuncture in clinical trials at home and abroad has been questioned by many scholars, who believe that sham acupuncture is not fake, and call for "fake targeted research" to be stopped. In order to improve the sham acupuncture control design, 5G + VR technology and the principle elements of sham acupuncture should be combined. We also discussed and analyzed advantages and prospects of modern intelligent medical technology of 5G + VR technology in the sham acupuncture RCT. We hope to promote standardization of acupuncture clinical trials, and the development, innovation and application of acupuncture research at home and abroad.

Objective:To explore any effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at the Zusanli point on the scorch death of duodenal cells in rats with functional dyspepsia (FD) and possible mechanisms.Methods:Twenty-four 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and an EA group, each of 8. FD was induced in both the model and EA group rats using iodoacetamide gavage with tail-clip stimulation. After successful modeling the EA group was given acupuncture at the Zusanli point and then connected with a Korean acupuncture point nerve stimulator for 2 weeks. The other 2 groups were not given any intervention. The rats′ body weight was recorded before and after the modeling, as well as 7 and 14 days later. The gastric emptying rate and the small intestine propulsion rate of the three groups were detected right after the EA intervention, and the serum expression levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassays. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reactions were used to detect the transcription levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in the rats′ duodenums, while western blotting was employed to assess the expression of caspase-1 P20 and dermatin D (GSDMD) in their duodenums.Results:After successful modeling, the average body weight of the rats in the model and EA groups was significantly different from that in blank group, and after 7 and 14 days the average body weight of the former groups was significantly different from that of the blank group, with significant differences between the two groups as well. After the EA intervention significant differences were observed in gastric reside and small intestine propulsion rate between the EA group and the model group, as well as between the model and the blank group. After the intervention, there were significant differences between the blank group and the other two groups in the average expression of IL-1β and IL-6 in serum, IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA in the duodenum, as well as the GSDMD and caspase-1 p20 proteins in the duodenum. There were significant differences between the model and EA groups in all of the above measurements.Conclusions:EA at the Zusanli point can significantly reduce the level of scorch death in the duodenum of FD rats, as well as relieve low-grade duodenal inflammation and the clinical symptoms of FD. Its mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of the expression of caspase-1 P20 and GSDMD-N protein, and of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β and IL-6, relieving low-grade duodenal inflammation.

Objective To investigate how electroacupuncture activates the AMPKαpathway in the treatment of functional dyspepsia ( FD) . Methods Tail clipping stimulation was combined with an irregular diet to induce FD in 20 Sprague-Dawley rats. They were randomly divided into a model group and an electroacupuncture group, each of 10. Ten others had no FD induced and formed a normal group. The rats in the electroacupuncture group were given 10 days of electroacupuncture treatment, while those in the normal and model groups were restrained and fixed like those in the electroacupuncture group, but not given electroacupuncture. The expression of phosphorylated adenosine mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase alpha (p-AMPKα), phosphorylated tuberin (p-TSC2) and Rheb protein in the stomachs and small intestines of each group were detected using the western blotting. Levels of mTOR mRNA were quantified using the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR) . Results The western blotting re-sults showed that compared with the normal group, the expression levels of p-AMPKα and p-TSC2 in the stomachs and small intestines of the model group decreased significantly, while that of Rheb protein increased significantly. Compared with the model group, the expression of p-AMPKαand p-TSC2 increased significantly after the electroacu-puncture treatment, while that of Rheb protein decreased significantly. According to the RT-PCR results, the expres-sion of mTOR mRNA in the stomachs and small intestines of the model group was up-regulated significantly compared with the normal group. Compared with the model group, expression of mTOR mRNA in the electroacupuncture group was significantly down-regulated. Conclusion Electroacupuncture can activate the AMPKα pathway, up-regulate the expression of the related protein p-TSC2, and decrease the expression of Rheb protein, thereby down-regulating the transcription of the mTOR gene. That would serve to treat FD.