| Abstract: | Objective: Electroacupuncture(EA) and moxibustion are to some extent effective for diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(D-IBS); however, it is not clear whether their regulations on brain-bowel axis of D-IBS patients are different.The research is expected to provide a suitable clinical treatment by comparing the regulation of EA and moxibustion on digestive tract, psychological symptoms, and brain functional areas of D-IBS patients.Methods: A total of 62 cases of D-IBS patients were randomly divided into EA group(n=32) and moxibustion group(n=30).ST-36 and ST-37 were selected in the two groups.Acupuncture followed by electric stimulation was given to the EA group while warm moxibustion was given to the moxibustion group, once a day.Results: Both the EA group and the moxibustion group reported significant improvement in abdominal pain and abdominal distension(P0.001, P0.001).The moxibustion group reported better improvement in defecation frequency, defecation emergency and stool features than the EA group(P=0.001, P0.001, P0.001, P0.001).The moxibustion group reported better improvement in anxiety(HAMA) and depression(HAMD)(P0.001, P0.001).Both the EA and moxibustion groups can significantly reduce colonic mucosa 5-HT, 5-HT3R and 5-HT4R expression after treatment(P0.001, P0.001, P0.001), with moxibustion better than EA in 5-HT(P=0.024).The moxibustion group reported decreased activated voxel values of brain left IC, right IC and PFC regions after given stimulation of 150 mL CRD after treatment(P=0.011, P=0.023, P=0.009).The EA group reported decreased activated voxel values of PFC region(P=0.025).Conclusion: EA and moxibustion are different in the regulation of brain-bowel axis in D-IBS patients.Moxibustion can significantly improve frequent defecation, defecation emergency, watery stool and other digestive symptoms, anxiety, depression and other psychological symptoms as well as abnormal excitation in brainrelative functional IC and PFC regions of D-IBS patients.It suggests that moxibustion is a more effective therapy than EA in the treatment of D-IBS. |
