Suspended moxibustion relieves chronic visceral hyperalgesia and decreases hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone levels

Table 1 Abdominal withdrawal reflex scores in response to graded colorectal distention at 20, 40, 60 and 80 mmHg

Group	n	AWR score
		20 mmHg	40 mmHg	60 mmHg	80 mmHg
Normal	8	0.13 ± 0.13	0.38 ± 0.18	0.75 ± 0.25	1.50 ± 0.33
CVH	8	1.38 ± 0.18bd	1.80 ± 0.25bd	2.75 ± 0.25bd	3.50 ± 0.27bd
CVH + SM	8	0.25 ± 0.16	0.50 ± 0.19	1.13 ± 0.30	1.63 ± 0.18

AWR: Abdominal withdrawal reflex; SM: Suspended moxibustion; CVH: Chronic visceral hypersensitivity.

^bP < 0.01 vs normal group;

^dP < 0.01 vs CVH + SM group.

Table 2 Relative hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone mRNA expression

Group	n	CRH mRNA (relative expression)
Normal	8	0.29 ± 0.03
CVH	8	3.62 ± 0.23bd
CVH + SM	8	0.47 ± 0.06

CRH: Corticotropin-releasing hormone; SM: Suspended moxibustion; CVH: Chronic visceral hypersensitivity.

^bP < 0.01 vs normal group;

^dP < 0.01 vs CVH + SM group.