OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST36) acupoint on hyperlipidemia in mice and explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Thirty C57BL/6J mice were equally randomized into normal diet group, high-fat diet (HFD) group, and EA group. The changes in blood lipids and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the mice were evaluated, and histopathological changes and lipid accumulation in the liver were observed using Oil red O staining (ORO). The expressions of NLRP3, TLR4, and IL-1β proteins in the colon tissues were detected with Western blotting, and gut microbiota changes were analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing. RESULTS: In mice with HFD feeding, 16 weeks of EA treatment significantly lowered body weight and serum TC, TG, LDL-C and MDA levels, obviously reduced lipid accumulation in the liver, and ameliorated HFD-induced elevations of protein expressions of NLRP3, TLR4, and IL-1β. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that EA significantly altered gut microbiota composition, and increased the diversity and relative abundance of beneficial bacterial groups such as Muribaculaceae and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136_group. CONCLUSIONS Electroacupuncture at ST36 alleviates blood lipid disorders in hyperlipidemic mice possibly by improving intestinal microbiota structure, promoting degradation of high-caloric carbohydrates, cholesterol lipid metabolism and intestinal mucosa repair, and reducing toxin leakage, lipid peroxides, and liver fat deposition.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Hyperlipidemias/blood* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Diet, High-Fat ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Acupuncture Points ; Male ; Lipids/blood* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism*

Objective To observe the efficacy of electroacupuncture(EA) on the acupoint combination of He-(sea) points, front-mu points, and shu-points(abbrev. He-Mu-Shu) for the treatment of functional diarrhea, and to explore the effect of He-Mu-Shu point combination EA on the anxiety of patients. Methods A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed in 62 functional diarrhea patients. All of the patients were randomly divided into He-Mu-Shu group(32 cases) and medicine group(30 cases). He-Mu-Shu group was treated with EA on unilateral Quchi, Shangjuxu, Tianshu, Dachangshu point alternatively, and medicine group was treated with oral use of Loperamide hydrochloride capsules. Both groups were treated for 4 continuous weeks. Defecation frequency, stool property and anxiety scores were observed before treatment and 2, 4 weeks after treatment. Results After treatment, weekly defecation frequency, stool property and anxiety scores were improved in both groups, and the differences were statistically significant compared with those before treatment(P < 0.05). He-Mu-Shu point combination EA had better effect on improving weekly defecation frequency, stool property and anxiety scores of functional diarrhea patients than Loperamide hydrochloride capsules, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion The clinical efficacy and anxiety-relief action of He-Mu-Shu point combination EA on functional diarrhea are superior to oral use of Loperamide hydrochloride capsules.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of borneol on the pharmacokinetics of protocatechuic acid (PA) in rabbits.

METHODA method for determinating PA in rabbit plasma by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was established. The 12 healthy New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups. PA concentration in plasma samples of rabbits was determined by HPLC after oral administration of PA (30 mg x kg(-1)) and PA combined with borneol (protocatechuic acid 30 mg x kg(-1) + borneol 15 mg x kg(-1)). The data were processed by DAS 2.0 software to calculate the pharmacokinetic parametes.

RESULTChromatographic peaks were separated well by the HPLC method. Regression analysis of the data of PA concentration against its peak area showed a good straight line in the range of 0.04-2.0 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9983). In comparison with PA alone, the pharmacokinetics parameters of PA (t1/2Ka, T(max), V1/F, CL/F) in the PA + borneol combination group were decreased, while the AUC(0-infinity) was increased.

CONCLUSIONBorneol could significantly promote absorption, increase the dose absorption and slow elimination of PA in rabbits. Borneol could improve the bioavailability of PA.

Animals ; Bornanes ; pharmacology ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Hydroxybenzoates ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Linear Models ; Male ; Rabbits ; Regression Analysis ; Reproducibility of Results