Effects and mechanisms of electroacupuncture at PC6 on frequency of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation in cats

Table 1 Nitrite concentration in plasma and gastric fundus of protocol I (mean ± SD)

Group	Serum (mmol/mL)	Gastric fundus (mmol/mg)
Neiguan	0.85 ± 0.62	3.50 ± 0.87
Sham	0.66 ± 0.59	4.18 ± 1.09

No significant difference was found between the two groups.

Table 2 Plasma GAS and MTL in each group of protocol I (mean ± SD)

Group	GAS (pg/mL)	MTL (pg/mL)
Neiguan group	79.43 ± 28.84	82.23 ± 43.79
Sham group	156.30 ± 72.53	103.6 ± 68.16

GAS: gastrin; MTL: motilin. No significant difference was found between the two groups.

Table 3 c-Fos and NADPH-d staining in CNS

	C-Fos		NOS
group	NTS and DMV	RFM	NTS and DMV	RFM
Neiguan group	21.9 ± 6.9a	96.6 ± 16.5a	23.6 ± 4.6a	75.6 ± 17.0a
Sham group	45.3 ± 10.1	61.0 ± 13.8	43.9 ± 11.0	30.6 ± 8.5

NADPH: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate; CNS: central nerve system; NOS: nitric oxide synthase; NTS: nucleus tractus solitarius; DMV: dorsal motor nucleus of vagus; RFM: reticular formation of medulla.

^aP < 0.05 vs Sham group.