Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2023, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (4): 725-733.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2023.04.007

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Protective mechanisms of Tuina therapy against lipopolysaccharide-induced fever in young rabbits based on untargeted metabolomics analysis

LIU Di1, ZHANG Yingqi1(), YU Tianyuan1(), LIU Zhifeng1, JIAO Yi1, WANG Hourong1, XU Yajing1, GUAN Qian1, CHEN Lulu2, HU Hui3   

  1. 1 School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102401, China
    2 Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Beijing Massage Hospital, Beijing 100035, China
    3 Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China
  • Received:2022-07-22 Accepted:2022-11-15 Online:2023-08-15 Published:2023-07-03
  • Contact: ZHANG Yingqi, School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102401, China. zhangyingqi0305@163.com. Telephone: +86-18210220868; +86-15810409565
    YU Tianyuan, School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102401, China. yutianyuan@sina.com.
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China: to Explore the Antipyretic Effects and Mechanism of the “Reducing Fever Six Methods” Technique on Infant Rabbits with Fever from the Peripheral TLR4/NF-kB Signaling Pathway to the Central Positive and Negative Mediators(81873392)

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Tuina on the plasma metabolites of lipopolysaccharide-induced febrile in infant rabbits.

METHODS: Twenty-four infant New Zealand rabbits were selected and randomly divided into three groups: saline, model, and Tuina. The fever model was established by injecting LPS intravenously through the ear margin vein in the model group and Tuina group, respectively. The modeling was considered successful when the anal temperature increased by 0.5℃ or above within 1 h. In the Tuina group, six Tuina techniques (i.e., opening Tianmen / the heaven gate, pushing Kangong / the superciliary arch, kneading Taiyang and the prominent bone behind the ears, clearing Tianheshui, spine pinching) that alleviate fever were performed on the young rabbits 1 h after the modeling, whereas the model and saline groups were not given Tuina treatment, with the real-time anal temperature monitored during the experiment. The plasma was taken 3 h after the modeling for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) untargeted metabolomics study.

RESULTS: Our results showed a fever-reducing effects of Tuina therapy on lipopolysaccharide-induced fever in young rabbits, as indicated by a significantly lower anal temperature, maximum rise in body temperature, and body response index at 2 and 3 h after modeling in the Tuina group compared to the model group, with reductions in the PGE2 expression observed in the blood and hypothalamus. The differential metabolites including riboflavin, nicotinamide N-oxide, porphobilinogen, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and lysoPC (16:1 (9Z)/0:0) were found following the Tuina intervention. Tuina primarily involves glycine-serine-threonine, arginine-proline, porphyrin-chlorophyll, pyrimidine, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and cyanoamino acid metabolic pathways.

CONCLUSION: Tuina therapy has proven to be effective in reducing body temperature and down-regulating PGE2 expression in LPS-induced febrile young rabbits, with its mechanism of fever-reducing action possibly associated with the changes in plasma metabolites and metabolic pathways.

Key words: fever, pediatrics, metabolomics, Lipopolysaccharides, riboflavin, glycine, Tuina therapy

Cite this article

LIU Di, ZHANG Yingqi, YU Tianyuan, LIU Zhifeng, JIAO Yi, WANG Hourong, XU Yajing, GUAN Qian, CHEN Lulu, HU Hui. Protective mechanisms of Tuina therapy against lipopolysaccharide-induced fever in young rabbits based on untargeted metabolomics analysis[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2023, 43(4): 725-733.