Moxibustion treatment modulates the gut microbiota and immune function in a dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis rat model

Figure 2 Rat colon tissue pathology under different treatments. HC: Healthy controls; UC: UC model group; UC-7: UC model with seven days of moxibustion; UC-14: UC model with fourteen days of moxibustion; UC-W: UC model with mesalazine gavage; HC-7: Healthy controls with seven days of moxibustion; HC-14: Healthy controls with fourteen days of moxibustion. The colonic mucosa in HC, HC-7, and HC-14 rats exhibited no pathological abnormalities. The colonic mucosa was damaged in the UC group, with a reduction in the number of glands and cell infiltration. After moxibustion treatment, decreased cell infiltration and congestion were noted in the UC-7 and UC-14 groups. Glands were disorganized with abundant inflammatory cell infiltration in the UC-W group. Red arrow indicated inflammatory cell infiltration and green arrow indicate gland (magnification: 200 ×).