Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (4): 907-915.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.04.011

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Antihypertensive effect of acupuncture involve reshaping gut microbiota and alleviating gut inflammation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

ZHENG Jie1, DING Zhimin2, CHEN Tingyu1, LÜ Zhuan3, ZHANG Lihong1, LIU Yongtao3, ZHANG Yasu1, JIN Xiaoqin1, WANG Xinyu1, LIU Bin1, FENG Xiaodong1()   

  1. 1 School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China
    2 College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
    3 Department of Rehabilitation, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450000, China
  • Received:2025-08-09 Accepted:2026-04-13 Online:2026-08-15 Published:2026-08-08
  • Contact: Prof. FENG Xiaodong, School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China. fxd0502@163.com,Telephone: +86-15516164325; +86-15303828605
  • About author:ZHENG Jie and DING Zhimin are co-first authors and contributed equally to this work
  • Supported by:
    Provincial Natural Science Foundation of Henan: Mechanism Underlying Antihypertensive Effect of Acupuncture at Renying (ST9) and Zusanli (ST36) in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Based on Gut-immune Axis(202300410260);Key Research Project Program of Higher Education Institutions in Henan Province: Investigation of the Neuroprotective Mechanism of Acupuncture at Renying (ST9) and Zusanli (ST36) in Hypertension via the Gut-Brain Axis(25B360011);Special Project for Scientific Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine of the "Double First-class" Founding Disciplines of Henan Province(HSRP-DFCTCM-T-9)

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antihypertensive effect and mechanism of acupuncture at Renying (ST9) and Zusanli (ST36) from the perspective of gut microbiota.

METHODS: Eighteen male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were randomly divided into the SHR group, the acupuncture group (SHR + A), the sham acupuncture group (SHR + SA), and six Wistar-Kyoto rats were set up as the normotensive control group. 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing was performed to characterize changes in the gut microbiota. Blood samples were collected to measure inflammatory cytokines using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to assess the degree of colonic damage. Western blotting was performed to evaluate intestinal inflammation.

RESULTS: We observed that acupuncture at acupoints Renying (ST9) and Zusanli (ST36) reduced blood pressure in SHRs, modulated microbial beta diversity, increased the abundance of beneficial genera, and reshaped the composition of the intestinal microbiota. In addition, hypertension induced pathological changes in the intestine, along with inflammation and increased permeability. By contrast, acupuncture treatment decreased serum inflammatory cytokine levels and inhibited activation of the toll-like receptor 4/ nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway in SHRs, thereby restoring intestinal barrier integrity.

CONCLUSIONS: Our experimental results indicate that acupuncture exerts a hypotensive effect that is associated with modulation of intestinal inflammation and microbiota, which may offer a new strategy for the prevention and treatment of hypertension.

Key words: hypertension, acupuncture, gut inflammation, gastrointestinal microbiome, toll-like receptor 4, NF-kappa B

Cite this article

ZHENG Jie, DING Zhimin, CHEN Tingyu, LÜ Zhuan, ZHANG Lihong, LIU Yongtao, ZHANG Yasu, JIN Xiaoqin, WANG Xinyu, LIU Bin, FENG Xiaodong. Antihypertensive effect of acupuncture involve reshaping gut microbiota and alleviating gut inflammation in spontaneously hypertensive rats[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2026, 46(4): 907-915.