Mongolian warm acupuncture improves colonic barrier function and immune responses via the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway in insomnia rats.

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction and immune dysregulation. Mongolian warm acupuncture (MWA) has shown therapeutic potential in insomnia; however, its effects on intestinal permeability and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, an insomnia rat model was established using chronic unpredictable mild stress combined with para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). To evaluate the therapeutic effects of MWA, comparative analysis was conducted among different groups, including Control, Model, MWA, Estazolam, and sham MWA groups. MWA group showed significantly improvement on sleep quality, cognitive performance, and anxiety-like behavior and alleviated colonic tissue damage. MWA treatment attenuated intestinal barrier dysfunction by modulating the expression of ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-4. In addition, MWA reduced inflammatory responses by decreasing TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels while increasing IL-22 expression. Furthermore, MWA suppressed activation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings suggest that MWA exerts protective effects against insomnia-associated intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation and may represent a promising non-pharmacological therapeutic strategy for insomnia.