Mechanism of Acupuncture in Treatment of Functional Constipation Based on Brain-gut Axis Theory
Functional constipation is a refractory gastrointestinal disorder influenced by multiple factors and mechanisms,with an imbalance in the brain-gut axis considered a core pathological mechanism.The brain-gut axis serves as a bidirectional regulatory pathway between the brain and gastrointestinal tract,playing a role throughout the disease process.By exploring the relationship be-tween the brain-gut axis and functional constipation,and examining how acupuncture regulated the nervous system,brain-gut pep-tides,gut microbiota,the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,as well as traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)theories,this review elucidated the underlying mechanisms through which acupuncture treated functional constipation via the brain-gut axis,ai-ming to optimize clinical treatment strategies and enhance therapeutic efficacy.