Acupuncture and Moxibustion Modulate the Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Pathways to Ameliorate Colonic Inflammation in Rats with Crohn’s Disease

Objective: To investigate how acupuncture and moxibustion ameliorate colonic inflammation by modulating the gut microbiota and metabolism in Crohn’s disease (CD) model rats. Materials and Methods: CD rats were established with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). Acupuncture and moxibustion were performed at the bilateral Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Tianshu (ST 25) acupoints once a day for 7 days. We subsequently evaluated the disease activity index of the rats and pathological changes in the colon; inflammatory markers were analyzed by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The gut microbiota and intestinal metabolism were assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. Results: Treatment significantly improved disease symptoms, reduced colonic injury, and suppressed inflammation in CD rats. 16S rDNA sequencing revealed that treatment altered the colonic microbiota composition, increasing the abundance of Proteobacteria and decreasing the abundance of Firmicutes . At the genus level, the abundances of Bacteroides , Ruminococcaceae , Oscillospira , Phascolarctobacterium , and Paraprevotella were restored. Intestinal metabolomics revealed changes in metabolites such as hypoxanthine, leucine, and betaine, affecting pathways such as phenylalanine, taurine, and glutamate metabolism. Correlation analysis suggested that treatment alleviated TNBS-induced inflammation by regulating the gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and related metabolites. Conclusions: The results indicate that acupuncture and moxibustion can ameliorate inflammation in CD rats and that the regulation of the gut microbiota and intestinal metabolism may be the potential mechanism underlying the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on CD.