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Mechanism of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on Promoting Mucosal Healing in Ulcerative Colitis

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Abstract

The latest guideline about ulcerative colitis (UC) clinical practice stresses that mucosal healing, rather than anti-inflammation, is the main target in UC clinical management. Current mucosal dysfunction mainly closely relates to the endoscopic intestinal wall (mechanical barrier) injury with the imbalance between intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) regeneration and death, as well as tight junction (TJ) dysfunction. It is suggested that biological barrier (gut microbiota), chemical barrier (mucus protein layer, MUC) and immune barrier (immune cells) all take part in the imbalance, leading to mechanical barrier injury. Lots of experimental studies reported that acupuncture and moxibustion on UC recovery by adjusting the gut microbiota, MUC and immune cells on multiple targets and pathways, which contributes to the balance of IEC regeneration and death, as well as TJ structure recovery in animals. Moreover, the validity and superiority of acupuncture and moxibustion were also demonstrated in clinic. This study aims to review the achievements of acupuncture and moxibustion on mucosal healing and analyse the underlying mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Changzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Nan**g University of Chinese Medicine, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213002, China

    Han Li, **ao-feng Ye & Qi Zhang

  2. Nan**g University of Chinese Medicine, Nan**g, 210023, China

    Han Li, Jian-bin Zhang & Li-bin Zhan

  3. Research Center of Meridians, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Bei**g, 100700, China

    Yang-shuai Su, Wei He &  **ang-hong **g

  4. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nan**g University of Chinese Medicine, Nan**g, 211005, China

    Jian-bin Zhang

  5. Liaoning University of Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, 116600, China

    Li-bin Zhan

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  1. Han Li
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  2. **ao-feng Ye
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  3. Yang-shuai Su
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  4. Wei He
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  8. **ang-hong **g
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Contributions

Li H, Ye XF and Su YS wrote and revised this manuscript. He W and Zhang JB supported the technological methods in preparing the potential targets. **g XH and Zhan LB oversaw all jobs. Zhang Q took part in manuscript revision. All author read and approved the final version for publication.

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Correspondence to **ang-hong **g.

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Supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2019YFC1709002), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81973947 and 82004453), Natural Science Foundation of Nan**g University of Chinese Medicine (No. XZR2020043), Jiangsu Province Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Development Program (No. YB201951), Changzhou Science and Technology Program (No. CJ20190070), Changzhou Municipal Health Commission Science and Technology Program (No. QN 201939), Changzhou Municipal Health Qing Miao Talent Training Program (No. CZQM2020083)

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Li, H., Ye, Xf., Su, Ys. et al. Mechanism of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on Promoting Mucosal Healing in Ulcerative Colitis. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 29, 847–856 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-022-3531-x

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