Therapeutic Eficacy of Acupuncture Targeting GV-1 Acupoint on Diarrhea Induced by Sennae Folium in Rabbits | [Pakistan Journal of Zoology • 2025]

Author(s):

1. Houkang Ding: Department of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University,Baoding 071001, Hebei,China

2. Xiao Wang: Department of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University,Baoding 071001, Hebei,China

3. Mingchao Liu: Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China

4. Kun Li: Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095,PR China

5. Ahmad R. Alhimaidi: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University,Riyadh 11451,Saudi Arabia

6. Ramzi A. Amran: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University,Riyadh 11451,Saudi Arabia

7. Aituan Ma: Department of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University,Baoding 071001, Hebei,China

8. Dengshan Shiau: Department of Graduate Studies, Chi University,Reddick, Florida 32686,USA

Abstract:

Diarrhea is among one of the significant digestive disorders having significant implications related to rabbit farming. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GV-1 (Hou-hai) acupuncture on behavior, intestinal structure and immune function in rabbits having diarrhea induced by Sennae Folium. The mechanism underlying GV-1 acupuncture’s efficacy related to treatment of diarrhea was explored by measuring serum levels of various brain-gut peptides along with the expression of key protein molecules involved in 5-HT signaling pathway in colon tissue. After establishing diarrhea using Sennae Folium the rabbits were subjected to aqua-acupuncture or dry-needle acupuncture at GV-1 point for 7 days. The rabbits’ behavior, body weight and diarrhea index were observed and recorded. The therapeutic effects of GV-1 acupuncture on diarrhea were evaluated using histopathological techniques, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting assay. Results revealed rabbits with GV-1 acupuncture significantly improved the production performance of rabbits and effectively relieved the intestinal tract damage caused by diarrhea. Inflammatory factors including IL-2, IL-1ß, TNF-a and IFN-? were downregulated following dry-needle acupuncture and aqua-acupuncture at GV-1 points. Moreover, 5-HT, CCK, SS, SP, and VIP brain-gut peptides were downregulated while the levels of MTL, GAS, ENK and ß-EP were upregulated. Results of western blotting show that compared to CG protein level of TPH-1 and 5HT3R increased significantly in MG and BCG. However, treatment by acupuncture significantly overturns the expression of TPH-1 and 5HT3R in ATG and DTG (P<0.05). SERT showed an opposite trend with the expression levels of TPH-1 and 5HT3R. It was concluded that acupuncture at GV-1 point is a favorable therapeutic option for alleviating diarrhea. Both dry-needle acupuncture and aqua-acupuncture treatments demonstrate significant efficacy in reducing FSAE-induced diarrhea with aquaacupuncture having superior therapeutic effects compared to dry-needle acupuncture at the GV-1 point. Acupuncture targeting GV-1 relieves diarrhea by regulating various inflammatory cytokines and brain-gut peptides as brain-intestine peptides potentially serving as a crucial mediator in its mechanism of action.

Page(s): 2089-2099

DOI: 10.17582/journal.pjz/20240211132542

Published: Journal: Pakistan Journal of Zoology, Volume: 57, Issue: 5, Year: 2025

Keywords:

diarrhea , Rabbit , Acupuncture , 5HT signaling pathway , GV1 , Braingut peptide

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