Effects of Acupuncture at Renying on Gut Microbiota and Their Metabolites in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
10.13359/j.cnki.gzxbtcm.2025.09.024
- VernacularTitle:针刺人迎穴对自发性高血压大鼠肠道菌群及其代谢产物的影响
- Author:
Guangli LI
1
;
Shenghan HUANG
;
Aisheng WEI
;
Yang LI
Author Information
1. 广州中医药大学第八临床医学院,广东佛山 528200
- Keywords:
acupuncture therapy;
Renying(ST9)point;
hypertension;
gut microbiota;
rats
- From:
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;42(9):2248-2260
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To observe the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of acupuncture at Renying(ST9)on hypertension.Methods Spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRs)were randomly divided into a model group and a Renying group 6 rats in each group,with six Wistar-Kyoto(WKY)rats serving as the blank control group.The Renying group received bilateral acupuncture at Renying point once daily for 5 consecutive days,followed by a 2-day rest,for a total of 4 weeks.Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured via tail-cuff plethysmography before intervention and at weeks 1,2,3,and 4 after intervention.After the intervention,fecal and plasma samples were collected.16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze gut microbiota composition,and 1H NMR spectroscopy was employed to detect plasma metabolite differences.Results(1)Before intervention,systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the model and Renying groups were significantly higher than those in the blank group(P＜0.05).After acupuncture intervention,the Renying group exhibited significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures than the model group at weeks 2,3,and 4(P＜0.05).After 4 weeks,the model group showed significantly increased systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared with baseline(P＜0.05),whereas the Renying group exhibited significantly decreased pressures(P＜0.05).Throughout the intervention,the Renying group demonstrated smaller blood pressure fluctuations and more stable control than the model group.(2)Microbiota analysis:Compared with the blank group,the model group had 39 fewer unique operational taxonomic units(OTUs),whereas the Renying group showed increased unique OTUs,approaching levels observed in the blank group.(3)NMDS analysis of β-diversity revealed that acupuncture significantly altered gut microbial diversity in SHRs.At the phylum level,Firmicutes,Bacteroidetes,Verrucomicrobia,and Patescibacteria dominated gut microbiota composition.Patescibacteria abundance was significantly increased in the model group but decreased in the Renying group(P＜0.05).At the genus level,Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium abundances were reduced in the model group but higher in the Renying group(P＜0.05).(4)LEfSe analysis indicated significant enrichment of Clostridia_vadinBB60_group and Alistipes_sp_CHKCI003 in the Renying group,whereas unclassified_Clostridia_UCG_014 was more prevalent in the model group.(5)OSC-PLS analysis of 1H NMR-detected plasma metabolites revealed significant intergroup differences,with Renying acupuncture altering acetate and trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO)levels.Conclusion Acupuncture at Renying points significantly reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressures in SHRs,possibly by modulating gut microbiota structure,ameliorating microbial dysbiosis,promoting beneficial bacterial growth,suppressing harmful bacteria,and regulating acetate-and TMAO-related metabolic pathways.
