Electroacupuncture Alleviates Cisplatin-Induced Nausea in Rats

Abstract

ObjectiveAcupuncture has been shown to be effective for the treatment of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms of action underlying the anti-emetic effect of electroacupuncture (EA).DesignForty-eight rats received saline (n=12) or 6 mg/kg cisplatin (n=36) to establish a chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting model. EA was performed at CV12 (n=12), bilateral PC6 (n=12), or sham points (n=12) 3 days before and 1–2 days after cisplatin administration (4–5 times in total), at 0.5–1 mA intensity and 2/15 Hz frequency for 10 min. Kaolin intake, food intake and bodyweight change were evaluated as markers of nausea and vomiting severity. Concentrations of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in the duodenum and c-Fos expression in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) were measured using high performance liquid chromatography and immunohistochemistry, respectively.ResultsCisplatin administration led to increased kaolin intake and reduced food intake and bodyweight over the following 2 days. EA at CV12 significantly reversed the cisplatin-induced change in kaolin intake (on days 1 and 2) and food intake and bodyweight (on day 1). EA at CV12 also attenuated the cisplatin-induced increase in 5-HT in the duodenum and suppressed c-Fos expression in the NTS. EA at PC6 influenced kaolin intake (on day 1 only) and c-Fos expression, but had no statistically significant effect on food intake, bodyweight or 5-HT expression.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated beneficial effects of EA on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in a rat model. The anti-emetic effect of EA may be mediated through inhibition of 5-HT secretion in the duodenum and activity of the NTS.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Surgical Trauma-Induced Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal Axis Hyperactivity Via microRNA-142

“…Meanwhile, EA could increase hippocampus 5-HT to improve depression in CUMS model and adrenal NPY with no significance noted in circulating NE in cold stress model and serum inflammation in murine asthma model. EA was verified to regulate NE (Fornes et al, 2016 ), glutamate (Zeng et al, 2016 ), GABA (Fu and Longhurst, 2009 ), 5-HT (Cui et al, 2016 ), NPY (Tian et al, 2006 ) and IL-1β (Qin et al, 2013 ), but no evidence shown that EA affect HPA axis function via NE, glutamate, GABA, 5-HT, NPY or IL-1β. Different types of stressors, physical or psychological, acute or chronic cause various stress reactions.…”

What is nausea? A historical analysis of changing views

“…However, it is debated whether the perception of nausea is similar in rodents and humans (Andrews et al, 2014; Stern et al, 2011). If the definition of nausea is restricted to a sensation that vomiting is imminent, then non-emetic animals cannot experience nausea, although some do classify the responses of rodents to emetic stimuli as indicators of nausea (Alhadeff et al, 2015; Cui et al, 2015; Parker, 2014; Parker et al, 2006; Parker et al, 2015; Rock et al, 2015). This clouds the definition of “nausea” in the literature.…”

Effect of Nigella sativa L. seed extract on cisplatin-induced delay in gastric emptying in Sprague-Dawley rats

“…This stimulation has been suggested to cause relaxation of the stomach possibly leading to a delay of gastric emptying ( Rudd & Andrews 2005;Stern et al 2011). Moreover, cisplatin-induced free radical generation in the intestine (Sangeetha et al 1990) may lead to subsequent release of 5HT (Matsuki et al 1993;Cui et al 2016) which may act on peripheral 5HT3 to relax the stomach and lead to the delay in gastric emptying. Similar to the findings of earlier researchers (Kishibayashi et al 1993;Sharma & Gupta 1998;Ando & Takagi 2011;Yanai et al 2013), we also observed the reversal of the inhibition by ondansetron.…”