Objective: To select the best combination of the commonly-used acupoints [Zhongwan (CV 12), Neiguan (PC 6), and Zusanli (ST 36)] for treatment of gastric disorders.
Methods: Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into 8 groups: model, ST36, CV12, PC6, ST36 + PC6, ST36 + CV12, CV12 + PC6 and ST36 + CV12 + PC6 by factorial design method. Acute gastric mucosal lesion model was established by intragastric perfusion of anhydrous alcohol. EA(1- 3 mA, 30 Hz) was applied to the above-mentioned acupoints for 20 min respectively. And after EA, gastric mucosal lesion index (LI), pathological lesion integral score (PLIS) were calculated and mucosal ultramicrostructural changes observed by optical microscope and transmission electron microscope respectively.
Results: Compared with model group, the gastric mucosal LI and PLIS of ST36, CV12, PC6, ST36 + CV12, ST36 + PC6, CV12 + PC6, ST36 + CV12 + PC6 groups all decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Comparison among 7 EA groups showed that both LI and PLIS of ST36 + CV12 + PC6 group were significantly lower than those of ST36, V12, PC6, ST36 + CV12, ST36 + PC6 and CV12 + PC6 groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between every two groups of ST36, CV12, PC6, ST36+ CV12, ST36 + PC6 and CV12 + PC6 groups (P > 0.05) in both LI and PLIS. Ultrastructural results showed that the injury of gastric mucosal parietal cells and delomorphous cells including mitochondrial swelling, crista arrange disorder and breaking, enlargement of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, ribosome exfoliation, etc. in model group was serious, but lightened significantly in EA groups particularly in ST36 + CV12 + PC6 group.
Conclusion: ST36, PC6 and CV12 combination can effectively reduce anhydrous alcohol-induced gastric mucosal lesion in rats, and may be used as a basic formula