Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture intervention on the diarrhea, mucosal thickness of the small intestine, plasma endotoxin (ET) and D-lactic acid (D-LA) contents, and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity in 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) induced intestinal mucosal damage rats, in order to provide an experimental basis for acupuncture therapy in improving chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucosa injury.
Methods: Thirty female SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and acupuncture group (n = 10 in each group). The intestinal mucosal damage model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu (50 mg/kg, for six consecutive days). Acupuncture stimulation was applied to bilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) once a day for six consecutive days. The changes of body weight and diarrhea score (0-3 points, according to Kurita's methods) as well as mucosal thickness of the small intestine were determined. The plasma ET and D-LA contents, and DAO activity were measured by ELISA.
Results: On the sixth day, the body weight was significantly higher in the acupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.05). After intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu, both the incidence rate and average score of diarrhea reached the peak on the sixth day in the model and acupuncture groups, and were significantly lower in the acupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.01). On the seventh day, the mucosal thickness of small intestine was significantly lower in the model group than in the control group (P<0.05), but had no remarkable changes after acupuncture intervention( P>0.05). The contents of plasma ET and D-LA and DAO activity level were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group, and markedly decreased in the acupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Acupuncture intervention can lower the incidence rate and average score of diarrhea and down-regulate the increased plasma ET and D-LA contents and DAO activity levels in 5-Fu induced intestinal mucosal damage rats, suggesting a somewhat protective effect of acupuncture against chemotherapy induced damage of the intestinal mucosal barrier.