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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
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Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI
Published on: April 8, 2010
Integrated Multi-Omics Analyses Identify Acupuncture-Associated Changes in Gut Microbiota, Short-Chain Fatty Acids,
Lu Liu1, Zili Tang1, Yuyan Wang1
1Acupuncture and Tuina School, Acupoint Effects Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
Journal of Inflammation Research
|July 15, 2026
Summary
True acupuncture alleviates chronic migraine (CM) in rats by modulating gut microbiota and reducing neuroinflammation. This study links acupuncture
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Gut microbiota and gut-brain communication are implicated in migraine pathophysiology.
- Acupuncture is a potential non-pharmacological treatment for migraine, possibly acting via the gut.
- The coordinated effects of acupuncture on gut microbiota, metabolites, and brain pathways in chronic migraine (CM) remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of true acupuncture (TA) on gut microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles, and trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) gene expression in a rat model of chronic migraine (CM).
- To explore the association between gut microbiota changes and neuroinflammation markers following acupuncture treatment in CM.
Main Methods:
- A nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced CM rat model was established.
- Rats received true acupuncture (TA), sham acupuncture (SA), or vehicle (VEH) treatment.
- Hyperalgesia was assessed, and TNC neuroinflammation markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) were quantified.
- Gut microbiota composition (16S rRNA sequencing), SCFA profiles, and TNC transcriptomics were analyzed.
- Gene expression of S100a4 and Vamp8 was validated by RT-qPCR.
Main Results:
- TA significantly reduced migraine-like hyperalgesia and TNC neuroinflammation in CM rats.
- Acupuncture altered gut microbiota, increasing beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus murinus and Parabacteroides goldsteinii, while decreasing others.
- TA modulated SCFA profiles and TNC gene expression, with specific correlations found between P. goldsteinii, S100a4, Vamp8, and acetic acid.
Conclusions:
- True acupuncture alleviates hyperalgesia and neuroinflammation in a rat model of chronic migraine.
- Acupuncture-induced therapeutic effects are associated with significant shifts in gut microbiota and SCFA profiles.
- These findings provide preliminary evidence for the microbiota-gut-brain axis involvement in acupuncture's efficacy for CM, warranting further investigation.
