Objective

2

To compare two different composite modeling methods and find the superior one to establish

qi

-

yin

deficiency syndrome model.

Methods

2

A total of 72 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal group， swimming composite model group and sleep deprivation composite model group， with 24 mice in each group. Each group was further randomly divided into 3 groups according to 3 weeks， 6 weeks and 9 weeks of modeling， with 8 mice in each group. Swimming composite model group was given uncontrolled diet and drugs of heat nature by gavage plus weight-bearing swimming， while the sleep deprivation composite model group was given uncontrolled diet and drugs of heat nature by gavage plus sleep deprivation， which were modeled for 3 weeks， 6 weeks and 9 weeks， respectively. At week 0 of the modelling， the grip strength and body weight of each mouse were recorded. At week 3， 6， and 9， the weight， grip strength， exhaustion swimming time， water intake quantity， saliva flow rate， fecal moisture content， and surface temperature were recorded and compared between groups； open field test was used to record the total distance traveled within 300s， the standing frequency， and time spent in the center and in the corner； the thymus index and spleen index were calculated； the peripheral blood CD4

+

， CD8

+

T lymphocytes， as well as the contents of cyclic adenosine phosphate （cAMP） and cyclic guanosine phosphate （cGMP） in serum were detected.

Results

2

During the experiment， 3 mice in the swimming composite model group， and 1 mouse in the sleep deprivation composite group died. At week 3， compared to those in the normal group， the exhaustive swimming time in the swimming composite model group， as well as the weight and exhaustive swimming time in the sleep deprivation composite model group significantly decreased， while the total distance traveled， the standing frequency and the time spent in the center significantly increased in the sleep deprivation composite model group （

P

＜0.01）； the sleep deprivation composite model group had increased total distance traveled， the standing frequency and the time spent in the center than the swimming composite model group （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. At week 6， compared to those in the normal group， the time spent in the corner， serum cAMP content， and cAMP/cGMP value in the swimming composite model group， as well as cAMP/cGMP value in the sleep deprivation composite model group significantly decreased， while the peripheral blood CD4

+

T lymphocytes， salivary flow rate and thymus index in the sleep deprivation composite model group， and the grip strength， exhaustion swimming time， spleen index in both model groups significantly decreased （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. At week 9， compared to those in the normal group， the water intake quantity， time spent in the corner， serum cAMP content， cAMP/cGMP value in both model groups increased significantly， while the saliva flow rate， grip strength， exhaustive swimming time， total distance traveled， standing frequency， time spent in the center， serum cGMP， thymus index， spleen index， and peripheral blood CD4

+

T lymphocytes， CD8

+

T lymphocytes， and CD4

+

/CD8

+

value decreased significantly， as well as the fecal moisture content in the swimming composite model group （

P

＜ 0.05 or

P

＜0.01）； the sleep deprivation composite model group had significantly increased water intake quantity， fecal moisture content， and grip strength than the swimming composite model group （

P

＜0.05）. There was no significant difference in the surface temperature of the mice in each group measured at week 3， 6 and 9 （

P

＞0.05）.

Conclusion

2

Both the swimming composite model group and the sleep deprivation composite model group could have the similar symptoms with

qi

-

yin

deficiency after 9 weeks of modeling. For experiments related to constipation， the modeling method used in the swimming composite group is recommended to establish the

qi

-

yin

deficiency model； if there is nothing to do with constipation， the method used in the sleep deprivation composite model group is suitable modeling in order to reduce the mortality rate of the experiment animals.