Electroacupuncture Improving Intestinal Barrier Function in Rats with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Through Regulating Aquaporins.

Background: Intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). In order to explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment on intestinal mucosal barrier, this study observed the effect of EA on aquaporins (AQPs), tight junctions (TJs), NF-κB pathway and the gut microbiota in IBS-D rats.

Methods: The IBS-D model was established by acetic acid enema combined with chronic restraint method.