Effect of Acupoint Catgut Embedding on Intestinal Flora in Rats with Ovariectomized Osteoporosis

Abstract

Objectives: By observing the effect of acupoint catgut embedding on the intestinal flora of ovariectomized osteoporotic rats, the correlation between the regulation of intestinal flora and the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis was discussed preliminarily. Methods: By observing the effect of acupoint catgut embedding on the intestinal flora of ovariectomized osteoporotic rats, the correlation between the regulation of intestinal flora and the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis was discussed preliminarily. Result: Compared with Group A and Group B, bone mineral density (BMD) of femur and tibia in Group C decreased significantly (p<0.05), indicating successful modeling. Compared with Group C, BMD of femur and tibia in Group D was significantly increased (p<0.05). Compared with Group A and Group B, content of serum estrogens, calcium, and PTHrP in Group C were significantly decreased (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Content of serum estrogen, calcium, and PTHrP in Group D were significantly higher than those in Group C (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Compared with Group A and Group B, the abundance of mollicutes, actinobacteria, acidobacteria, chloroflexi and fusobacteria in group C was significantly increased. The abundance of probiotics in Group D such as lactobacillales, (lactobacillaceae, lactobacillus), bacillales, and streptococcus was significantly higher than that in Group C (p<0.05). The content of SCFAs such as acetic acid, butyric acid, iso-valeric acid, valeric acid and caproic acid in Group D were significantly higher than those in Group C, with statistical significance (p<0.05). Conclusions: Acupoint catgut embedding can effectively improve BMD, increase content of estrogen, calcium, PTHrP and SCFAs. Furthermore, embedding can also improve the abundance of probiotics and reduce the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. The changes of intestinal flora were correlated with the changes of estrogen and calcium, which may be one of the mechanisms of acupoint catgut embedding in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.