Effects of 10.6-μm laser moxibustion and electroacupuncture at ST36 in a 5-Fu-induced diarrhea rat model

• Published in: Supportive care in cancer Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 2561 - 2569
• Main Authors: Cheng, Huaijin, Zhao, Ling, Ju, Ziyong, Wang, Fan, Qin, Meng, Mao, Huijuan, Shen, Xueyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.05.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acupuncture; Acupuncture Points; Animals; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Chinese medicine; Diarrhea; Diarrhea - chemically induced; Drug dosages; Electroacupuncture; Electroacupuncture - methods; Fluorouracil - adverse effects; Humans; Irritable bowel syndrome; Laboratory animals; Lasers; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Moxibustion - methods; Mucositis; Nursing; Nursing Research; Oncology; Original Article; Pain Medicine; Probiotics; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rehabilitation Medicine; Rodents; 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu); Laser moxibustion; Chemotherapeutic diarrhea; Electroacupuncture; Mucosal barrier in small intestines
• ISSN: 0941-4355; 1433-7339
• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-020-05788-0

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 10.6-μm laser moxibustion and electroacupuncture in 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu)-induced diarrhea model rats. Methods Forty-eight Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: a normal group, model group, 10.6-μm laser moxibustion (LM) group, and electroacupuncture (EA) group. Diarrhea was induced by 5-Fu (50 mg/kg) injection in 36 rats; the LM and EA groups received treatment at acupoint ST36 (Zusanli) on hind limbs once a day for 6 days. Results 5-Fu injection caused body weight decline and diarrhea. From the 5th to 7th day, the LM group showed higher body weights than the model group ( P < 0.05). On the 6th day, diarrhea score of the LM group was better than that of the EA group ( P < 0.05). Both scores of the LM group and EA group were better than that of model group ( P < 0.05). The LM group and EA group both had better intestine pathological scores and lower endotoxin (ET) and diamine oxide (DAO) activity than the model group ( P < 0.01). The LM group got better pathological scores than the EA group ( P < 0.01). Ultramicroscopic structures of the model group showed severe damage while the LM group and EA group remained good in their small intestines. The model group had obviously decreased occludin protein in intestine tissues than the control group ( P < 0.01), while occludin expressions in the LM group and EA group were both obviously increased compared with the model group ( P < 0.01). Conclusion LM and EA treatment on ST36 could alleviate damage to intestinal barrier function and alleviate diarrhea caused by 5-Fu.