Effect of Acupuncture-like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Plasma $\beta-endorphin$ and ACTH, Serum Cortisol and Urinary 17-OHCS Levels

저빈도-고강도 경피신경전기자극이 혈장 $\beta-endorphin$ 과 ACTH, 혈청 Cortisol 및 요중 17-OHCS 농도에 미치는 영향

  • Park Chun-Seo (Dept. of Heath Management, Graduate School of Public Health, Inje University) ;
  • Lee Jae-Hyoung (Dept. of Physical Therapy, Wonkwang Public Health Junior College)
  • 박춘서 (인제대학교 보건대학원) ;
  • 이재형 (원광보건전문대학 물리치료과)
  • Published : 1994.08.01

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of electroanalgeia and $\beta-endorphin$ action by acupuncture-like (Lof/Hil) transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied to acupuncture points. Twelve healthy adult male aged between 19 ann 25 were randomly assigned to TENS group (n=6) and naloxone group (n=6). Subjects of both groups were strongly stimulated TENS with 4 pps and $200{\mu}s$ for 30 minutes on the LI 3 and LI 10 meridian points of dominant am. Naloxone group was injected naloxone hydrochloride before TENS application. The experimental pain threshold was measured by chronaxie meter CX-2 on the distal end of radius just before and after TENS application. The levels of plasma $\beta-endorphin$ and ACTH. serum cortisol and urinary 17-OHCS were analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits before and after TENS application. In TENS group, there was a significant increase of experimental pain threshold (p<0.01), plasma $\beta-endorphin$ level (p<0.05), serum cortisol level (p<0,001) and urinary 17-OHCS levels (p<0.05) after TENS application. The plasma ACTH level was not significantly increased, but it showed an increasing tendency. In naloxone group, although there was a decreasing trend, ACTH and cortisol level did not show a significant change, but $\beta-endorphin$ and 17-OHCS level were significantly decreased (p<0.01). The result of this study stewed that acupuncture-like TENS induced analgesic effect, such that the levels of plasma $\beta-endorphin$, plasma ACTH, serum cortisol and urinary 17-OHCS were concomitantly increased with experimental pain threshold. It is suggested that the analgesic mechanism of the acupuncture-like TENS probably related to endogenous opioid component such as $\beta-endorphin$.

Keywords