Effects of manual acupuncture on fatty acid metabolism in a rat model of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a multi-tissue metabolomic and plasma lipidomic investigation.

This article focuses on evaluating the effects and underlying mechanisms of manual acupuncture (MA) at the traditional acupuncture point ST36 in a rat model of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Using a combination of acetic acid enemas and restraint stress to induce IBS-D symptoms, the study found that MA improved intestinal hypersensitivity and stool consistency, as measured by abdominal withdrawal reflex and Bristol stool form scale scores. Untargeted metabolomic and targeted lipidomic analyses revealed that MA modulated metabolites primarily involved in arachidonic acid metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, notably restoring levels of several medium- and long-chain free fatty acids. These findings suggest that MA's therapeutic effects in IBS-D may be mediated through regulation of fatty acid metabolic pathways and related anti-inflammatory mechanisms.