Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.4196/kjpp.2014.18.2.121

Effects of Acupuncture Stimulation at Different Acupoints on Formalin-Induced Pain in Rats  

Chang, Kyung Ha (Department of Physiology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine)
Bai, Sun Joon (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine)
Lee, Hyejung (Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University)
Lee, Bae Hwan (Department of Physiology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine)
Publication Information
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology / v.18, no.2, 2014 , pp. 121-127 More about this Journal
Abstract
Acupuncture is the process of stimulating skin regions called meridians or acupoints and has been used to treat pain-related symptoms. However, the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture may be different depending on acupoints. In the present study, the effects of acupuncture on behavioral responses and c-Fos expression were evaluated using a formalin test in male Sprague-Dawley rats in order to clarify the analgesic effects of three different acupoints. Each rat received manual acupuncture at the ST36 (Zusanli), SP9 (Yinlingquan) or BL60 (Kunlun) acupoint before formalin injection. Flinching and licking behaviors were counted by two blinded investigators. Fos-like immunoreactivity was examined by immunohistochemistry in the rat spinal cord. Manual acupuncture treatment at BL60 acupoint showed significant inhibition in flinching behavior but not in licking. Manual acupuncture at ST36 or SP9 tended to inhibit flinching and licking behaviors but the effects were not statistically significant. The acupuncture at ST36, SP9, or BL60 reduced c-Fos expression as compared with the control group. These results suggest that acupuncture especially at the BL60 acupoint is more effective in relieving inflammatory pain than other acupoints.
Keywords
Acupoint; c-Fos; Formalin; Manual acupuncture; Pain;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Presley RW, Menétrey D, Levine JD, Basbaum AI. Systemic morphine suppresses noxious stimulus-evoked Fos protein-like immunoreactivity in the rat spinal cord. J Neurosci. 1990;10:323-335.
2 Kim SK, Park JH, Bae SJ, Kim JH, Hwang BG, Min BI, Park DS, Na HS. Effects of electroacupuncture on cold allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain: mediation by spinal adrenergic and serotonergic receptors. Exp Neurol. 2005;195:430-436.   DOI   ScienceOn
3 Ulett GA, Han S, Han JS. Electroacupuncture: mechanisms and clinical application. Biol Psychiatry. 1998;44:129-138.   DOI   ScienceOn
4 Coderre TJ, Vaccarino AL, Melzack R. Central nervous system plasticity in the tonic pain response to subcutaneous formalin injection. Brain Res. 1990;535:155-158.   DOI   ScienceOn
5 Hathaway CB, Hu JW, Bereiter DA. Distribution of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the caudal brainstem of the rat following noxious chemical stimulation of the temporomandibular joint. J Comp Neurol. 1995;356:444-456.   DOI   ScienceOn
6 Lee IO, Jeong YS. Effects of different concentrations of formalin on paw edema and pain behaviors in rats. J Korean Med Sci. 2002;17:81-85.   DOI   ScienceOn
7 Gogas KR, Presley RW, Levine JD, Basbaum AI. The antinociceptive action of supraspinal opioids results from an increase in descending inhibitory control: correlation of nociceptive behavior and c-fos expression. Neuroscience. 1991;42:617-628.   DOI   ScienceOn
8 Jones SL. Noradrenergic modulation of noxious heat-evoked fos-like immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn of the rat sacral spinal cord. J Comp Neurol. 1992;325:435-445.   DOI   ScienceOn
9 Chapman V, Honoré P, Buritova J, Besson JM. The contribution of NMDA receptor activation to spinal c-Fos expression in a model of inflammatory pain. Br J Pharmacol. 1995;116: 1628-1634.   DOI   ScienceOn
10 Chang FC, Tsai HY, Yu MC, Yi PL, Lin JG. The central serotonergic system mediates the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture on ZUSANLI (ST36) acupoints. J Biomed Sci. 2004;11:179-185.
11 Li WM, Cui KM, Li N, Gu QB, Schwarz W, Ding GH, Wu GC. Analgesic effect of electroacupuncture on complete Freund's adjuvant-induced inflammatory pain in mice: a model of antipain treatment by acupuncture in mice. Jpn J Physiol. 2005;55:339-344.   DOI
12 Kagitani F, Uchida S, Hotta H, Aikawa Y. Manual acupuncture needle stimulation of the rat hindlimb activates groups I, II, III and IV single afferent nerve fibers in the dorsal spinal roots. Jpn J Physiol. 2005;55:149-155.   DOI
13 Kim JH, Gwak YS, Lee I, Sohn IC, Kim MS, Choi DO, Baek DB, Park BR. Antinociceptive effects of heterotopic electroacupuncture in formalin-induced pain. Am J Chin Med. 2006; 34:565-574.   DOI   ScienceOn
14 Chang CJ, Huang ST, Hsu K, Lin A, Stoller ML, Lue TF. Electroacupuncture decreases c-fos expression in the spinal cord induced by noxious stimulation of the rat bladder. J Urol. 1998;160:2274-2279.   DOI   ScienceOn
15 Yu XJ, Zhan R, Huang H, Ding GH. Analysis on the difference of afferent mechanism of analgesic signals from manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture of "Zusanli" (ST 36). Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2008;33:310-315.
16 Yuan B, Pang T, Liu X. Response properties of SI cortical neurons to electro-acupuncture and manual acupuncture in the rat. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 1991;16:79-86.
17 Leung AY, Park J, Schulteis G, Duann JR, Yaksh T. The electrophysiology of de qi sensations. J Altern Complement Med. 2006;12:743-750.   DOI   ScienceOn
18 Kim JH, Min BI, Schmidt D, Lee HJ, Park DS. The difference between electroacupuncture only and electroacupuncture with manipulation on analgesia in rats. Neurosci Lett. 2000;279:149-152.   DOI   ScienceOn
19 Dubuisson D, Dennis SG. The formalin test: a quantitative study of the analgesic effects of morphine, meperidine, and brain stem stimulation in rats and cats. Pain. 1977;4:161-174.   DOI   ScienceOn
20 Wen YR, Yeh GC, Shyu BC, Ling QD, Wang KC, Chen TL, Sun WZ. A minimal stress model for the assessment of electroacupuncture analgesia in rats under halothane. Eur J Pain. 2007;11:733-742.   DOI   ScienceOn
21 Wheeler-Aceto H, Porreca F, Cowan A. The rat paw formalin test: comparison of noxious agents. Pain. 1990;40:229-238.   DOI   ScienceOn
22 Tjølsen A, Berge OG, Hunskaar S, Rosland JH, Hole K. The formalin test: an evaluation of the method. Pain. 1992;51:5-17.   DOI   ScienceOn
23 Shibata M, Ohkubo T, Takahashi H, Inoki R. Modified formalin test: characteristic biphasic pain response. Pain. 1989;38:347-352.   DOI   ScienceOn
24 Kwak Y, Rhyu MR, Bai SJ, Sa YH, Kwon MJ, Lee BH. c-Fos expression in the nucleus of the solitary tract in response to salt stimulation in rats. Korean J Physiol Pharmacol. 2011;15: 437-443.   DOI   ScienceOn
25 Schaap MW, van Oostrom H, Doornenbal A, van't Klooster J, Baars AM, Arndt SS, Hellebrekers LJ. Nociception and conditioned fear in rats: strains matter. PLoS One. 2013;8:e83339.   DOI
26 Tobaldini G, de Siqueira BA, Lima MM, Tambeli CH, Fischer L. Ascending nociceptive control contributes to the anti-nociceptive effect of acupuncture in a rat model of acute pain. J Pain. 2014. pii: S1526-5900(14)00021-2.
27 Bullitt E. Expression of c-fos-like protein as a marker for neuronal activity following noxious stimulation in the rat. J Comp Neurol. 1990;296:517-530.   DOI   ScienceOn
28 Hunt SP, Pini A, Evan G. Induction of c-fos-like protein in spinal cord neurons following sensory stimulation. Nature. 1987;328:632-634.   DOI   ScienceOn
29 Harris JA. Using c-fos as a neural marker of pain. Brain Res Bull. 1998;45:1-8.   DOI   ScienceOn
30 Cha MH, Choi JS, Bai SJ, Shim I, Lee HJ, Choi SM, Lee BH. Antiallodynic effects of acupuncture in neuropathic rats. Yonsei Med J. 2006;47:359-366.   DOI   ScienceOn
31 Eisenberg DM, Kessler RC, Foster C, Norlock FE, Calkins DR, Delbanco TL. Unconventional medicine in the United States. Prevalence, costs, and patterns of use. N Engl J Med. 1993;328: 246-252.   DOI   ScienceOn
32 Kaptchuk TJ. Acupuncture: theory, efficacy, and practice. Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:374-383.   DOI   ScienceOn
33 Cha MH, Bai SJ, Lee KH, Cho ZH, Kim YB, Lee HJ, Lee BH. Acute electroacupuncture inhibits nitric oxide synthase expression in the spinal cord of neuropathic rats. Neurol Res. 2010;32 Suppl 1:96-100.   DOI   ScienceOn
34 Chang KH, Won R, Shim I, Lee H, Lee BH. Effects of Electroacupuncture at BL60 on Formalin-Induced Pain in Rats. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:324039.
35 Hao S, Takahata O, Iwasaki H. Electroacupuncture potentiates the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal endomorphin-1 in the rat formalin test. Neurosci Lett. 2000;287:9-12.   DOI   ScienceOn
36 Kim SJ, Chung ES, Lee JH, Lee CH, Kim SK, Lee HJ, Bae H. Electroacupuncture analgesia is improved by adenoviral gene transfer of dopamine beta-hydroxylase into the hypothalamus of rats. Korean J Physiol Pharmacol. 2013;17:505-510.   DOI   ScienceOn
37 Oh JH, Bai SJ, Cho ZH, Han HC, Min SS, Shim I, Lee HJ, Lee H, Lee BH. Pain-relieving effects of acupuncture and electroacupuncture in an animal model of arthritic pain. Int J Neurosci. 2006;116:1139-1156.   DOI   ScienceOn
38 Shou Y, Yang Y, Xu MS, Zhao YQ, Ge LB, Zhang BM. Electroacupuncture inhibition of hyperalgesia in rats with adjuvant arthritis: involvement of cannabinoid receptor 1 and dopamine receptor subtypes in striatum. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:393460.
39 Vincent CA, Richardson PH. The evaluation of therapeutic acupuncture: concepts and methods. Pain. 1986;24:1-13.
40 Ahmed S, Anuntiyo J, Malemud CJ, Haqqi TM. Biological basis for the use of botanicals in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis: a review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2005;2:301-308.   DOI   ScienceOn
41 Berman BM, Swyers JP, Ezzo J. The evidence for acupuncture as a treatment for rheumatologic conditions. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2000;26:103-115.   DOI
42 Diehl DL, Kaplan G, Coulter I, Glik D, Hurwitz EL. Use of acupuncture by American physicians. J Altern Complement Med. 1997;3:119-126.   DOI   ScienceOn
43 Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, Van Rompay M, Kessler RC. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997: results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA. 1998;280:1569-1575.   DOI   ScienceOn
44 Ernst M, Lee MH. Sympathetic vasomotor changes induced by manual and electrical acupuncture of the Hoku point visualized by thermography. Pain. 1985;21:25-33.   DOI   ScienceOn
45 Peets JM, Pomeranz B. CXBK mice deficient in opiate receptors show poor electroacupuncture analgesia. Nature. 1978;273:675-676.   DOI   ScienceOn
46 Peng CH, Yang MM, Kok SH, Woo YK. Endorphin release: a possible mechanism of acupuncture analgesia. Comp Med East West. 1978;6:57-60.
47 Basbaum AI, Fields HL. Endogenous pain control mechanisms: review and hypothesis. Ann Neurol. 1978;4:451-462.   DOI   ScienceOn
48 Cheng RS, Pomeranz B. Monoaminergic mechanism of electroacupuncture analgesia. Brain Res. 1981;215:77-92.   DOI   ScienceOn