Xu JY, Li C. Study on the neuroimmune regulatory mechanism of electroacupuncture at Zusanli acupoint for postoperative intestinal paralysis after gastrointestinal surgery. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(10): 109404 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.109404]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Cheng Li, Deputy Director, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Jiangnan University Affiliated Hospital, No. 1000 Hefeng Road, Wuxi 214000, Jiangsu Province, China. lc13812003897@yeah.net
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Retrospective Study
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Oct 27, 2025 (publication date) through Oct 24, 2025
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Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
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1948-9366
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Xu JY, Li C. Study on the neuroimmune regulatory mechanism of electroacupuncture at Zusanli acupoint for postoperative intestinal paralysis after gastrointestinal surgery. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(10): 109404 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.109404]
World J Gastrointest Surg. Oct 27, 2025; 17(10): 109404 Published online Oct 27, 2025. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.109404
Study on the neuroimmune regulatory mechanism of electroacupuncture at Zusanli acupoint for postoperative intestinal paralysis after gastrointestinal surgery
Jing-Yan Xu, Cheng Li
Jing-Yan Xu, Cheng Li, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Jiangnan University Affiliated Hospital, Wuxi 214000, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: Xu JY designed the study, Xu JY and Li C analyzed the data, and Xu JY and Li C were involved in the data collection and writing of this article; all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Jiangnan University Affiliated Hospital.
Informed consent statement: All study participants and their legal guardians provided written informed consent before enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Cheng Li, Deputy Director, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Jiangnan University Affiliated Hospital, No. 1000 Hefeng Road, Wuxi 214000, Jiangsu Province, China. lc13812003897@yeah.net
Received: June 17, 2025 Revised: July 25, 2025 Accepted: August 26, 2025 Published online: October 27, 2025 Processing time: 128 Days and 16.2 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Postoperative intestinal paralysis is common in gastrointestinal surgery, and the study of electroacupuncture mechanisms is of great significance.
AIM
To explore the neuroimmune regulatory mechanism of electroacupuncture at the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) in postoperative intestinal paralysis following gastrointestinal surgery.
METHODS
A total of 156 patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University between January 2022 and October 2024 for postoperative intestinal paralysis following gastrointestinal surgery were randomly divided into two groups: A control group and an electroacupuncture group, with 75 patients in each. The control group received conventional Western medical treatment, while the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture in addition to this, at the bilateral Zusanli acupoints. Both groups received treatment for 7 days. Clinical efficacy, gastrointestinal function recovery, and gastrointestinal hormone [motilin (MTL), gastrin (GAS)], neurotransmitter [vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), nitric oxide (NO)], and inflammatory cytokine [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β)] levels were compared between the two groups before and seven days after treatment. Adverse reactions were also recorded.
RESULTS
The electroacupuncture group demonstrated a higher overall treatment effectiveness rate and faster recovery of bowel sounds, as well as faster first defecation and first flatus than the control group (P < 0.05). After seven days of treatment, MTL and GAS levels were significantly higher and VIP, NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β levels were significantly lower in the electroacupuncture group than in the control group (P < 0.05). No adverse reactions were observed in either group during treatment.
CONCLUSION
Electroacupuncture at the Zusanli acupoint can enhance clinical efficacy, promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function, and regulate the neuroimmune microenvironment in patients with intestinal paralysis after gastrointestinal surgery. This mechanism may involve excitation of the vagus nerve and activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway through electroacupuncture stimulation of the Zusanli acupoint.
Core Tip: This study revealed that electroacupuncture at the Zusanli acupoint can enhance the clinical efficacy of postoperative intestinal paralysis after gastrointestinal surgery, promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function, and regulate the neuroimmune microenvironment. This mechanism may involve vagus nerve excitation and activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.
