Effect of electroacupuncture on the intestinal microflora in rats with stress urinary incontinence.

Objective: To examine the effect of electroacupuncture on the urodynamics and gut microbiota of rats with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Materials and methods: Thirty 2-month-old female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: normal (N), model (M), nonacupoint electric acupuncture control (NAAC), and electroacupuncture (EA). An SUI rat model was established through vaginal balloon dilatation and bilateral oophorectomy. After various treatments, urodynamic tests were performed, and feces were collected. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was used to investigate SUI-related changes in the intestinal flora. Results: After treatment, compared with those of the M group, the leak point pressure and maximum bladder capacity of the electroacupuncture groups increased (P<0.05). The species community compositions of the N and M groups differed at the genus level, and there were 15 differentially abundant bacterial genera (P<0.05). The Blautia proportion was increased by electroacupuncture treatment (P<0.05) and was significantly positively correlated with the electroacupuncture treatment of SUI (according to Spearman correlation analysis). Conclusion: Electroacupuncture treatment can improve signs of urine leakage in rats with SUI rats by increasing the leak point pressure and maximum bladder capacity. The enrichment of Blautia by electroacupuncture treatment enrichment may be related to SUI sign improvement.

Effect of electroacupuncture on the degradation of collagen in pelvic floor supporting tissue of stress urinary incontinence rats.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To examine the changes induced by electroacupuncture in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) rats, including the urodynamics and collagen degradation-related cytokine molecular biological expression changes, and to explore the effect and mechanism of EA treatment in SUI. METHODS: Female SPF Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 10): sham, model, electroacupuncture control, electroacupuncture, and blocker. The leak point pressure (LPP) and maximum bladder capacity (MBC) were measured for each group of rats, and collagen I, collagen III, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMPs) in the anterior vaginal wall of rats in each group were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Electroacupuncture Shenshu (BL23) and Huiyang (BL35) increased the LPP and MBC in SUI rats (P < 0.05). Electroacupuncture treatment significantly increased the protein expression of collagen I and collagen III in the anterior vaginal wall of SUI rats (P < 0.05) and significantly reduced the protein expression of MMP1, MMP2, and MMP9 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Electroacupuncture stimulation can alleviate the signs of SUI, and its mechanism is related to the degradation of collagen in the anterior vaginal wall.

[Acupuncture at xing-spring point, shu-stream point and lower he-sea point for type-2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture at xing-spring point, shu-stream point and lower he-sea point on neurological function and clinical symptoms in patients with type-2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy. METHODS: Sixty patients with type-2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. Both groups were treated with basic treatment, and the observation group was additionally treated with acupuncture at Neiting (ST 44), Xiangu (ST 43), Dadu (SP 2), Taibai (SP 3), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. once every other day, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. The changes of TCM symptom score, Toronto clinical assessment (TCSS) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score of pain and serum tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) level were observed before and after treatment in the two groups, and the clinical effects of the two groups were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the TCM syndrome score and the TCSS score in the two groups were reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and the TCM syndrome score after treatment in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS in the observation group was reduced (P<0.05), and the VAS score of pain in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the level of serum TNF-α within and between the two groups (P>0.05). The total effective rate was 76.7% (23/30) in the observation group, which was superior to 33.3% (10/30) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at xing-spring point, shu-stream point and lower he-sea point could effectively improve the neurological function and clinical symptoms in patients with type-2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy.