Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32617101›Full record

ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2020

Electroacupuncture Improves IBS Visceral Hypersensitivity by Inhibiting the Activation of Astrocytes in the Medial Thalamus and Anterior Cingulate Cortex.

Min Zhao, Zhaoqin Wang, Zhijun Weng, Fang Zhang, Guona Li, Zhe Ma, Huangan Wu, Yuhu Xin, Huirong Liu, Jimeng Zhao

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Electroacupuncture alleviates zymosan-induced colorectal hypersensitivity.Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Neural circuits regulating visceral pain.Communications biology · 2024
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Min ZhaoKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9577-425X
Zhaoqin WangKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3440-2230
Zhijun WengKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9402-3657
Fang ZhangKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3506-8924
Guona LiKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9984-7759
Zhe MaShanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0956-4438
Huangan WuKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1725-6881
Yuhu XinFudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China.
Huirong LiuKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5132-1141
Jimeng ZhaoKey Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9075-6036
Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · CNFudan University Shanghai Cancer Center · CNShanghai Research Center for Acupuncture and Meridians · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo explore whether the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on visceral hypersensitivity (VH) in rats with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is related to the changes of astrocyte activation in the medial thalamus (MT) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).

methodMale Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control (NC) group, model control (MC) group, electroacupuncture (EA) group, and fluorocitrate (FCA) group. A model of visceral hypersensitivity was established by neonatal colorectal irritation. In the EA group, needles were inserted into the skin at the Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37) acupoints, once a day for 7 days. The FCA group received intrathecal injection of FCA on the 1st, 4th, and 7th days. Visceral hypersensitivity was evaluated by the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA and protein levels in the MT and ACC were detected by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blots.

resultsThe AWR score in the MC group was significantly higher than in the NC group, and EA and FCA reduced the AWR score of VH rats. GFAP mRNA and protein levels in the MT and ACC of rats in the MC group were significantly increased compared with the NC group. After either electroacupuncture or fluorocitrate, GFAP mRNA and protein levels in the MT and ACC were both clearly reduced.

conclusionElectroacupuncture alleviates IBS visceral hypersensitivity by inhibiting the activation of astrocytes in the MT and ACC.

Identifiers

PMID32617101
PMCPMC7306073
OpenAlexW3034681007

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.