Author(s): LI Yong-chun
Pages: 25-27
Year: 2015 Issue:  1
Journal: Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion
Keyword:  Acupuncture therapy; Irritable bowel syndrome; Diarrhea; Serum vasoactive intestinal peptide; 5-hydroxytryptamine; Spleen-qi ascending stomach-qi descending;
Abstract: Objective To investigate the efficacy of ascending-descending acupuncture method regulation of the spleen and stomach in treating spleen deficiency-type diarrhea in irritable bowel syndrome and its effect on serum vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels. Methods Sixty irritable bowel syndrome patients with spleen deficiency-type diarrhea were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 30 cases each. The treatment group received ascending-descending acupuncture method regulation of the spleen and stomach and the control group, oral administration of pinaverium bromide. The symptom of diarrhea was scored and the vasoactive intestinal peptide and 5-hydroxytryptamine contents of serum were measured in the two groups before and after four weeks of treatment. Results There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the diarrhea symptom score and serum vasoactive intestinal peptide and 5-hydroxytryptamine contents between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the diarrhea symptom score and serum vasoactive intestinal peptide and 5-hydroxytryptamine contents in the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Ascending-descending acupuncture method regulation of the spleen and stomach is an effective way to treat spleen deficiency-type diarrhea in irritable bowel syndrome. It can effectively regulate the vasoactive intestinal peptide and 5-hydroxytryptamine contents of serum in the patients.