Targeted Modulation of Gut Microbiota: A New Perspective on Acupuncture for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- 2Administrative Office, Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- 3Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sichuan Integrative Medicine Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- 4The School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
- 5Sub-Health Department, Sichuan Integrative Medicine Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
Abstract
The gut microbiota and its metabolites play a key role in the pathological progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Acupuncture may reshape gut‑microbiota profiles, repair intestinal barrier integrity and regulate immune system. Elucidating such biological effects would facilitate a systematic comprehension of the gut‑joint axis as a mediating factor in the pathogenesis and progression of KOA, as well as further mechanistic exploration of acupuncture acting through this gut‑joint axis. In recent years, a growing body of in vivo and in vitro studies has begun to offer insights into the potential mechanisms by which acupuncture may affect KOA through modulation of the gut microbiota. Therefore, it would be valuable to synthesize the existing literature on the possible role of the gut microbiota in acupuncture's effects on KOA. This will deepen our understanding of the biological effects underlying acupuncture‑based interventions. In this review, we emphasize that the regulation of acupuncture on the gut-joint axis involves multiple targets, including the types of intestinal flora, intestinal barrier function, intestinal flora metabolites, immune response, and the role of acupuncture at its own acupoints and clinical program design. Nevertheless, our review of the relevant literature indicates that the current evidence remains primarily at the preclinical stage. And there is still a lack of conclusive clinical evidence to support the hypothesis that modulating the gut microbiota is one of the mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its therapeutic effects. Accordingly, we discuss future research directions focusing on acupoint compatibility and acupuncture parameters protocol design to decipher potential mechanisms of acupuncture modulating the gut‑joint axis interfere with KOA. This review may provide references for ongoing and future studies of acupuncture for KOA as well as for developing gut-joint-axis-centred acupuncture therapeutic strategies.
Related
- Gut Microbiota Modulation via Synbiotics: A Perspective for Boosting Antitumor Immunity and Inactivating Carcinogens in Early Life
- Synergistic Inhibition of Spinal TRPV1 Signaling by Combined Eye Acupuncture and Electroacupuncture Alleviates Inflammatory Pain in a Rat Model of Knee Osteoarthritis.
- Brain functional mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for early-stage non-tremor Parkinson’s disease: a resting-state fMRI study
- Serum miRNA expression profile in responders to acupuncture treatment for diminished ovarian reserve: a study protocol for a nested case-control study.
- Multimodal hydrogel modulation of extracellular vesicle cargo to arrest post-traumatic osteoarthritis in murine models
BibTeX
@article{duan2026targeted,
title = {{Targeted Modulation of Gut Microbiota: A New Perspective on Acupuncture for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis.}},
author = {Wenwen Duan and Wei Zhang and Ning Wei and Fangqin Liu and Tian Jiang and Xin Lai and Chao Wang and Zhengyan Wang},
journal = {Journal of pain research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2147/jpr.s640633},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42936245},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Targeted Modulation of Gut Microbiota: A New Perspective on Acupuncture for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis.
AU - Wenwen Duan
AU - Wei Zhang
AU - Ning Wei
AU - Fangqin Liu
AU - Tian Jiang
AU - Xin Lai
AU - Chao Wang
AU - Zhengyan Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Journal of pain research
DO - 10.2147/jpr.s640633
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42936245
AB - The gut microbiota and its metabolites play a key role in the pathological progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Acupuncture may reshape gut‑microbiota profiles, repair intestinal barrier integrity and regulate immune system. Elucidating such biological effects would facilitate a systematic comprehension of the gut‑joint axis as a mediating factor in the pathogenesis and progression of KOA, as well as further mechanistic exploration of acupuncture acting through this gut‑joint axis. In recent years, a growing body of in vivo and in vitro studies has begun to offer insights into the potential mechanisms by which acupuncture may affect KOA through modulation of the gut microbiota. Therefore, it would be valuable to synthesize the existing literature on the possible role of the gut microbiota in acupuncture's effects on KOA. This will deepen our understanding of the biological effects underlying acupuncture‑based interventions. In this review, we emphasize that the regulation of acupuncture on the gut-joint axis involves multiple targets, including the types of intestinal flora, intestinal barrier function, intestinal flora metabolites, immune response, and the role of acupuncture at its own acupoints and clinical program design. Nevertheless, our review of the relevant literature indicates that the current evidence remains primarily at the preclinical stage. And there is still a lack of conclusive clinical evidence to support the hypothesis that modulating the gut microbiota is one of the mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its therapeutic effects. Accordingly, we discuss future research directions focusing on acupoint compatibility and acupuncture parameters protocol design to decipher potential mechanisms of acupuncture modulating the gut‑joint axis interfere with KOA. This review may provide references for ongoing and future studies of acupuncture for KOA as well as for developing gut-joint-axis-centred acupuncture therapeutic strategies.
SN - 1178-7090
ER -