Effect of Acupoint Catgut Embedding at Yanglingquan (GB34) on the Bile Metabolism of Patients with Choledocholithiasis after Surgery

Choledocholithiasis, or bile duct gallstones, is effectively treated with surgery, which does not prevent relapse. A common adjuvant therapy is the stimulation of the Yanglingquan point (GB34). Acupoint catgut embedding (ACE), an acupoint stimulation therapy, may be a better treatment for choledocholithiasis.

To investigate the effect of ACE in stimulating GB34 on bile metabolism and its possible mechanism via metabonomics.

In this study, we used ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) to analyze the changes in bile metabolites, metabolic pathways, and liver function indicators in 16 patients with choledocholithiasis before and after ACE stimulation.

We identified 10 metabolites that exhibited significant differences in the bile before and after ACE, six of which significantly increased and four that significantly decreased. Moreover, six liver function indicators showed a downward trend. We identified related metabolic pathways as glycerophospholipid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and the citrate cycle (TCA cycle).

This study shows that ACE stimulation of GB34 can effectively help treat choledocholithiasis, which may be clinically applicable to ACE.