[Effects of fire needling with "stomach disease prescription" on inflammatory factors and intestinal flora in rats with gastric ulcer of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold].

Authors

Yangjing Duan, Xu Jin, Qianqian Liu, Yanlin Zhang, Yuxia Cao, Haijun Wang

Published in

Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion. Volume 46. Issue 7. Pages 1146-1155. Jul 12, 2026. Epub May 08, 2026.

Abstract

To observe the effects of fire needling with "stomach disease prescription" on inflammatory factors and intestinal flora in rats with gastric ulcer (GU) of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, and to explore the possible mechanism of fire needling with "stomach disease prescription" in treating GU of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold.
Ten out of 34 SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly selected as the blank group, and the remaining 24 rats were used to establish a GU model of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold by the combined method of "4 ℃ vinegar+absolute ethanol". Twenty successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group and a fire needle group, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the fire needle group received rapid fire-needle puncture at the acupoints of "stomach disease prescription" ("Zhongwan" [CV12], bilateral "Neiguan" [PC6], and "Zusanli" [ST36]), without needle retention, once every other day, with 5 treatments as one course, for a total of 3 courses. General conditions and body weight of rats in each group were compared. Gastric tissue morphology was observed by naked eye and HE staining, and the gastric mucosal injury index was calculated. ELISA was used to detect serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in rats. 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the structure and composition of intestinal flora.
(1) Macroscopic and pathological findings: Compared with the blank group, the rats in the model group showed typical deficiency-cold symptoms, such as mental fatigue and withered hair, and body weight was decreased (P<0.01); spot-like hemorrhagic lesions were observed on the gastric mucosa by naked eye, and HE staining showed gastric mucosal epithelial defects with extensive inflammatory cell infiltration; the gastric mucosal injury index was increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the general condition of rats in the fire needle group improved and body weight was increased (P<0.01); only a small number of petechiae were observed on the gastric mucosa by naked eye, and HE staining showed orderly arrangement of gastric mucosal epithelial cells with reduced inflammatory cell infiltration; the gastric mucosal injury index was decreased (P<0.01). (2) Inflammatory regulation: Compared with the blank group, serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the model group were increased (P<0.01); compared with the model group, serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the fire needle group were decreased (P<0.01). (3) Flora regulation: Compared with the blank group, the Chao1 index, Shannon index, and Simpson index (1-D) of intestinal flora in the model group were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05); the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi was decreased (P<0.05), while the relative abundance of Firmicutes was increased (P<0.05); the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota (F/B) ratio increased, and pathways related to xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism, specific types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine and metabolic diseases, and others were relatively enriched. Compared with the model group, the Chao1 index, Shannon index, and Simpson index (1-D) of intestinal flora in the fire needle group were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01); the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi was increased (P<0.05), while the relative abundance of Firmicutes was decreased (P<0.05); the F/B ratio decreased, and pathways related to cardiovascular diseases, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and the excretory system were enriched.
Fire needling with "stomach disease prescription" may intervene in GU of spleen-stomach deficiency-cold by inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors, correcting metabolic disorders, and restoring the balance of intestinal flora.

PMID:
42443085
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 14 Jul 2026.

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