Serotonin involvement in the electroacupuncture- and moxibustion-induced gastric emptying in rats

Autor(es)

Sugai, Gisele C. M. ; Freire, Anaflávia de O. ; Tabosa, Angela ; Yamamura, Ysao ; Tufik, Sérgio ; Mello, Luiz Eugênio A. M. ^[6]

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Physiology & Behavior; v. 82, n. 5, p. 855-861, Oct. 2004.
• Área do conhecimento: Ciências Biológicas - Fisiologia
• Assunto(s): Fisiologia Neurofisiologia Acupuntura Serotonina

Resumo

Electroacupuncture (EA) as well as moxibustion stimulation has been reported to produce an excitatory effect on the gastrointestinal motility of the rat. Serotonergic neurons of the mioenteric and submucous plexus are major participants in the gastrointestinal physiology. Here, we compared the outcomes of the stimulation of a specific set of acupoints with either acupuncture or moxibustion on the gastrointestinal motility and the role of serotonin (5-HT) in this effect. To analyze the role of 5-HT on the gastrointestinal motility of the rat, we studied the flow of 25 glass beads administered to the stomach, after treatment of the animals with a serotonin inhibitor (para-chlorophenylalanine [pCPA]). Acupuncture stimulation was performed on acupoints St-36 (Zusanli) and Sp-6 (Sanyinjiao), with electrical stimulation, or on acupoints Ren-10 (Xiawan), Ren-12 (Zhongwan) and St-25 (Tianshu), with moxibustion. Animals subjected to sham stimulation were used as controls in addition to naive, unstimulated animals. Stimulation of the hind limb (St-36 and Sp-6) and abdominal (Ren-10, Ren-12, St-25) acupoints resulted in effective gastric emptying, as compared with sham-stimulated animals. Pretreatment of animals with pCPA abolished either the response provided by acupuncture stimulation in animal groups subjected to hind limb acupoints or the response provided by moxibustion stimulation in abdominal acupoints. Our data suggest that moxibustion in the abdominal points and EA in the hind limb require an intact serotonergic pathway. In addition, we suggest that this involvement of serotonin is a general feature of the mediated effects of acupuncture on gastric emptying of the rat. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 99/06114-9 - Bases neurais da acupuntura
• Beneficiário: Luiz Eugenio Araujo de Moraes Mello
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular