Research Progress in Moxibustion Treatment for Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that can occur in all age groups,with diarrhea-predominant IBS(IBS-D)being the most common type.Currently,the specific pathogenesis of IBS-D has not been determined,and it is mainly attributed to neuroendocrine-immune dysfunction,visceral hyperalgesia,abnormal gastrointestinal motility,intestinal microbiota imbalance,abnormal bile acid absorption,and psychological factors.TCM categorizes IBS-D into the categories of"diarrhea"and"large intestine diarrhea",with a long course,complex and variable syndrome types,and high difficulty in treatment.This article reviewed the research on moxibustion treatment of IBS-D and found that moxibustion could regulate NF-κB signaling pathway by stimulating corresponding acupoints,affecting 5-HT receptors,regulating neurotransmitters,such as VIP and SP,regulating c-Kit/SCF signaling axis and gut microbiota to alleviate symptoms of IBS-D.