[Animal Modeling] - Establishment and Evaluation of a Constipated Irritable Bowel Syndrome Model with Liver Depression Syndrome

  Objective: To prepare rat models of liver depression syndrome constipation type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) using single factor modeling method and multi factor combined modeling method, and to provide an ideal IBS-C experimental animal model by comparing different indicators.

  Method: 42 SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group (Normal group), ice water gavage group (Cold group), restraint group (Restrain group), tail clamp group (Tail group), ice water gavage+restraint group (C+R group), and ice water gavage+tail clamp group (C+T group). During the modeling period, the body weight, food intake, water intake, and survival status of each group were observed, and indicators such as open field behavior, fecal Bristol score, visceral sensitivity, and small intestine propulsion were observed. HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in the colon of rats, and ELISA was used to detect 5-HT and VIP levels in serum and colon.

  After modeling, the weight of rats in each model group decreased (P<0 05, P<0 01) The amount of food and water consumed decreased, and the levels of 5-HT in the serum of each model group increased. The number of fecal particles and Bristol score decreased in the Cold group, while the content of 5-HT in the colon increased (P<0 05, P<0 01); The total distance and average speed of the restraint group's open field decreased (P<0 01); The preference for sugar water in the Tail group decreased (P<0 01); The preference rate for sugar water, total distance to open field, small intestine propulsion rate, number of bowel movements, and Bristol score decreased in the C+T group, while the 5-HT content in the colon increased and the VIP content decreased (P<0.) 05, P<0 01); The total distance, average speed, and VIP content in the colon of the C+R group decreased (P<0 05); Except for the Tail group, all other model groups showed visceral hypersensitivity compared to the blank group at 7 and 14 days of modeling under various pressure values (P<0 05, P<0 01); Pathological observation showed that no significant inflammatory cell infiltration or pathological changes were observed in each model group.

  Conclusion: The combination of ice water gavage and tail clipping method can successfully establish a liver depression syndrome IBS-C rat model, which is the first choice among the five methods, laying a foundation for the systematic and in-depth study of the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating IBS-C.