Acupuncture at heterotopic acupoints enhances jejunal motility in constipated and diarrheic rats

Figure 1 Jejunal motility regulated by manual acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 in normal rats. A: A representative trace of jejunal motility in normal rat; B: Representative traces of jejunal motility regulated by acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25; C: Acupuncture at LI11, ST37, and ST25 affected intrajejunal pressure significantly in normal rats (^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 17); D: Only acupuncture at ST25 decreased the frequency of jejunal motility (^bP < 0.01 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 17); E: The percent change in intrajejunal pressure caused by acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 (^cP < 0.05, ^dP < 0.01 vs baseline, paired t-test, n = 17). Intrajejunal pressure was normalized by baseline, which is denoted by the dashed line.

Figure 2 Effects of manual acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 on jejunal motility in constipated rats. A: A representative trace of jejunal motility in a constipated rat; B: Representative traces of jejunal motility regulated by acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 in constipated rats; C: Intrajejunal pressure was enhanced by acupuncture at LI11 or ST37 but reduced by acupuncture at ST25 (^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 17); D: Only acupuncture at ST25 decreased the frequency of jejunal motility (^aP < 0.05 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 17); E: The percent change in intrajejunal pressure caused by acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 (^cP < 0.05, ^dP < 0.01 vs baseline, paired t-test, n = 17). The intrajejunal pressure was normalized by baseline, which is denoted by the dashed line.

Figure 3 Effects of manual acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 on jejunal motility in diarrheic rats. A: A representative trace of jejunal motility in a rat with diarrhea; B: Representative traces of jejunal motility regulated by acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 in diarrheic rats; C: Intrajejunal pressure was significantly enhanced by acupuncture at LI11 but reduced by acupuncture at ST25 (^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 17); D: Only acupuncture at ST25 decreased the frequency of jejunal motility (^bP < 0.01 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 17); E: The percent change in intrajejunal pressure caused by acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 (^cP < 0.05, ^dP < 0.01 vs baseline, paired t-test, n = 17). The intrajejunal pressure was normalized by baseline, which is denoted by the dashed line.

Figure 4 Effect of cobra venom on the regulation of jejunal motility by manual acupuncture at ST37. A: Representative traces of jejunal motility without and with cobra venom; B: Cobra venom did not inhibit the improved intrajejunal pressure caused by acupuncture at ST37 (unpaired t-test, n = 20). Intrajejunal pressure was normalized by baseline, shown as the dashed line; C: Cobra venom had no effect on ST37 acupuncture-mediated regulation of frequency of jejunal motility (unpaired t-test, n = 20). Frequency was normalized by baseline, as denoted by the dashed line.

Figure 5 Effect of capsaicin on the regulation of jejunal motility by manual acupuncture at ST37. A: Representative traces of jejunal motility without and with capsaicin; B: Capsaicin significantly inhibited the increase in intrajejunal pressure caused by acupuncture at ST37 (^aP < 0.05 vs baseline, unpaired t-test, n = 20). Intrajejunal pressure was normalized by baseline, shown as the dashed line; C: Capsaicin showed no effect on ST37 acupuncture-mediated regulation of frequency of jejunal motility (unpaired t-test, n = 20). The frequency was normalized by baseline, shown as the dashed line.

Figure 6 Effect of methoctramine on the regulations of jejunal motility by manual acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25. A: Representative traces of jejunal motility without and with methoctramine; B: Representative traces of the regulations of jejunal motility by acupuncture at LI11, ST37, ST25, and BL25 separately following the administration of methoctramine; C: Methoctramine reduced the intrajejunal pressure significantly (^bP < 0.01 vs baseline, unpaired t-test, n = 10); D: Methoctramine decreased the frequency of jejunal motility significantly (^dP < 0.01 vs control, unpaired t-test, n = 10); E: Acupuncture at LI11, ST37, and BL25 rescued the methoctramine-mediated inhibition of intrajejunal pressure significantly, but acupuncture at ST25 further decreased intrajejunal pressure in the presence of methoctramine (^fP < 0.01 vs non-methoctramine; ^gP < 0.05, ^hP < 0.01 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 10). Intrajejunal pressure was normalized by baseline without any treatment, the dashed line denotes basal intrajejunal pressure without methoctramine; F: Only acupuncture at ST37 significantly rescued the methoctramine-mediated inhibition of frequency of jejunal motility (^fP < 0.01 vs non-methoctramine, shown as the dashed line; ^gP < 0.05, ^hP < 0.01 vs pre-acupuncture, paired t-test, n = 10). Frequency was normalized by baseline without any treatment. The dashed line denotes basal frequency of jejunal motility without methoctramine.