• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 1987

The present experiment was performed in 35 normal male volunteers to evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture on the human nociception more clearly and to demonstrate the effect of different parameters of electrical stimulation through acupuncture needles. The threshold of the pain(Tp) and the nociceptive flexion reflex(Tr), the threshold for intolerable pain(Tip) and that for obtaining maximal reflex response(Tmr) were studied before and after electroacupuncture performed on the acupoints of tsusanli and hsuanchung. 1) For the pricking pain, electroacupuncture with intermittent stimulation induced a significant decrease in Tp which recovered after removal of the needles. There was no significant change in other thresholds. 2) For the dull pain, electroacupuncture with intermittent stimulation produced a significant increase in Tp which continued after removal of the needles. But there was no signifcant change in Tip. Electroacupuncture with continuous stimulation induced a slight increase in Tp. 3) After resting without electroacupuncture, Tp and Tip of the dull pain were slightly decreased. These results suggest that electroacupuncture had no significant analgesic effect on the pricking pain induced by electrical stimulation of the foot skin. However, electroacupuncture with intermittent stimulation had significant analgesic effect on the weak dull pain and it had slightly greater analgesic effect than electroacupuncture with continuous stimulation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.283-289
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• 2002

The effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at SP-6 with different durations on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and on the cardiovascular system were evaluated in dogs under isoflurane anesthesia. Eight healthy male beagles were randomly assigned to four study groups (n = 5/group) with washout period of 7 days for recovery and anesthetic withdrawal between experiments. Four study groups were control, nonacupoint electrical stimulation (NA), EA for 30 minutes (SP-6) and continuous EA for 70 or 90 minutes (SP-6C). For the nonacupoint electrical stimulation group, needles were inserted into the nonacupoint at the muscle bellies of left triceps brachii and right quadriceps femoris. MAC and cardiovascular parameters were determined after EA at SP-6 acupoint and at nonacupoint. Thirty minutes of EA and continuous EA until re-determination of MAC at SP-6 acupoint lowered the MAC of isoflurane by 21.3$\pm$8.0% and 16.1$\pm$4.6%, respectively (p<0.05). The decrements in MAC values were not significantly different between two EA groups. However, electrical stimulation of nonacupoint did not induce a significant change in MAC. In SP-6 and SP-6C groups, significant changes in cardiovascular parameters were not observed. These results indicate that EA at SP-6 have an advantage in isoflurane anesthesia in terms of reducing the requirement for anesthetics and minimizing cardiovascular side effects. EA for 30 minutes at maximum might be the sufficient time to produce acupuncture analgesia.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.97-110
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• 2002

목적 : 본 연구는 (a) 저빈도 전침의 만성 단발성 관절염에 대한 치료 효과와 (b) 척수에서 동통과 관련되는 지표인 P 물질과 trk A mRNA의 발현조절에 미치는 영향을 연구하기 위해 실행되었다. 방법 : Complete Freund's adjuvant를 실험동물의 우측 경족근관절에 주입하여 관절염을 유발시키고 9주 동안 관찰하였다. 만성 관절염의 최적의 치료조건을 찾기 위하여 각각 세 종류의 경혈(환도, 용천, 족삼리)과 전침자극강도(0.5, 1, 2 mA)를 사용하여, 행동학적 지표로서 동통을 측정하였다. 측정 결과 가장 큰 효과를 나타낸 군을 선택하여 RT-PCR 방법을 사용하여 P 물질 및 trk A mRNA의 변화를 척수 후각과 후근신경절에서 측정하였다. 결과 : 관절의 굴신을 통한 통증 검사와 족과관절 둘레 길이 측정을 통하여 관찰한 결과 원위부에 위치한 환도에 저강도의 자극을 시행한 경우(환도, 0.5 mA)가 가장 우수한 치료 효과를 나타내었다. RT-PCR을 시행한 결과, 환측 후근신경절의 P물질이 관절염 유발 대조군의 경우 정상군에 비해 증가하였고 환도-0.5mA 군에서 다시 감소하는 것을 관찰하였으며, trk A는 관절염 유발군의 경우 척수 후각에서 양측성 증가를 나타내었고 이는 전침치료에 의해 다시 감소되는 것을 관찰하였다. 결론 : 환도 0.5mA의 저빈도 전침은 관절염을 효과적으로 감소시킬 뿐 아니라 관절염으로 증가된 후근신경절의 P 물질과 척수후각의 trk A mRNA 발현을 효과적으로 감소시켰으며, 이는 원위취혈로 선혈된 환도혈의 만성관절염에 대한 치료효과를 분명히 보여준다고 할 수 있다.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.298-304
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• 2013

Objectives : We examined mutual inhibitory effects of combined acupoints in arthritic pain induce by carrageenan(CA). Electroacupuncture(EA) is considered a potentially useful treatment for arthritis. Although the analgesic effect of acupuncture is well documented, little is understood about its biological basis. There are many previous studies of positive effect of combined acupoint, this study was conducted to see the mutual inhibitory effects produced by combined acupoint(ST36 and PC7) on arthritic rats. Methods : For the induction of inflammatory pain rat model, CA was injected into the knee joint cavity. There are four groups; EA was applied to bilateral PC7 acupoints(PC7 group), ST36 acupoints(ST36 group), and both PC7 and ST36 acupoints(ST36+PC7 group) except for the control group. The pain level were assessed to determine the change in weight bearing force. We also examined the COX-2 expression in dorsal horn using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Results : The ST36+PC7 group data showed the significant reduction of weight bearing force and the induction of COX-2 protein expression compared with the ST36 group. Conclusions : Simultaneous EA applied to the ST36 and PC7 acupoints reduced the analgesic effect of the ST36 group on knee inflammatory pain.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2007

This study aims to examine the effects on nociceptive neuron excitability by application of electroacupuncture in rat with inflammation. It used 20 rats for experiment, divided them into control group, electroacupuncture group (EA group), caused hyperalgesia by injecting ${\lambda}$-carrageenan into hindpaw and conducted treatment three times for experimental period. Change of NFR(reaction time, RMS) showed no significant differences among EA group showed significant differences compared to control group from 48 hours. This study showed that EA group had an effect on nociceptive neurone excitability. Therefore, it is considered that electroacupuncture for pain control will be very desirable.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.241-251
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of electroacupuncture at GB14, on brain activity assessed on an electroencephalogram(EEG). Methods : (1) Thirty-four healthy participants were randomly divided into two groups, receiving either real acupuncture or non-penetrating sham acupuncture at GB14. (2) EEG measurements were conducted simultaneously before and after a 5-minute electroacupuncture stimulation, and the differences in the resulting EEG parameters were compared between the test and control groups. Results : (1) Absolute power increased significantly in the theta-wave channel of the occipital region and in the entire alpha-wave channel. (2) Relative power decreased significantly in the theta-wave channels of the frontal and occipital regions. (3) Coherence decreased significantly in the theta- and beta-wave channels of the parietal and occipital regions, and increased significantly in the alpha-wave channels of most areas. Conclusions : This study shows that electroacupuncture stimulation at GB14 activates the alpha frequency band in particular.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.167-182
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• 2002

This experiment was designed to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on chronic pains and factors that affected EA effects. The responses of wide dynamic range (WDR) cells to electrical stimulation of $A{\delta}$ & C afferent fibers were used as an index of pain in rats with chronic pains induced by intraplantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant or peripheral nerve injury. In rats with chronic pains, low (2Hz) and high (100Hz) frequency EA stimulation applied to zusanli caused the inhibition of WDR cell responses in about 60% of rats and the inhibitory actions were dependent on the stimulus strength. EA stimulation also induced an excitation of WDR cell responses in 23.9% of rats and no effect in 15.8% of rats. However, it seemed that in normal rats compared to the rat with chronic pains, the incidence of which EA stimulation caused the excitation or no effect was high. Reversible spinalization almost completely blocked EA-induced inhibitory or excitatory effects. EA stimulation more frequently induced the excitation of WDR cell responses in lightly anesthetized (0.6%) rats and the enhanced responses of WDR cells were inhibited by EA stimulation in the rat anesthetized with 1.5% enflurane. These experimental findings suggest that in rats with chronic pain, EA stimulation inhibited WDR cell responses to slow $A{\delta}$ and C fiber stimulation and EA-induced inhibitory action was under the control of descending inhibitory system and degree of anesthesia.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.107-116
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effects of fixed-intensity and varied-intensity electroacupuncture on heart rate variability in healthy people with stress task. Methods : Forty healthy subjects were randomly assigned to either group A or group B or C. Group A received fixed-intensity electroacupuncture(F-EA) at $ST_{36}$ and $ST_{37}$. After 1 week wash out period to prevent overlapping residual effects, they received varied-intensity electroacupuncture(V-EA) in which the intensity was changed every two minutes based on individual heart rate variability at the same points. Group B received the treatments in reverse order. Group C received no intervention as a control group. Results : Control group showed a significant increase of LF and LF/HF during the 2nd working memory task, while both F-EA and V-EA did not. In addition, V-EA showed a significant increase of HF during 2nd rest while F-EA did not. Conclusions : These results suggest that F-EA and V-EA can inhibit sympathetic activation more than control group and that V-EA can enhance parasympathetic activation more than F-EA.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation(TENS) after sciatic nerve crush injury in rats. Methods: The EA for experimental group I (Exp I, n=15) and TENS for experimental group II (Exp II, n=15) was applied from post-injury day(PD) 1 to PD 14 after sciatic nerve injury using low frequency stimulator that gave electrical stimulation(15min/60Hz). In order observe the effect of EA and TENS, this study examined GAP-43 expression in rat lumbar spinal cord at the PD 1, PD 7 and PD 14. In addition, the stride length(SL) and toe out angle(TOA) were measured at the PD 7 and PD 4. Results; Exp I and Exp II had higher GAP-43 immunoreactivity than control group(PD 1, 7, 14). The SL of Exp I and Exp II were significantly higher than control group(PD 7, 14). The TOA of Exp I and Exp II were significantly lower than control group(PD 7, 14). Conclusion: EA and TENS application increased motor nerve recovery and expression of GAP-43 immunoreactivity after sciatic nerve crush injury. Therefore effect of TENS and EA had similar effect on nerve regeneration and functional recovery.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to examine the anti-hyperalgesic effects of combination of electroacupuncture and microcurrent on anti-hyperalgesia in local hyperalgesia zone. Methods: It used 24 rats for experiment, divided them into control group, electroacupuncture group (EA group), microcurrent group (MC group), combination of electroacupuncture with microcurrent (EA+MC group), caused hyperalgesia by injecting ${\lambda}-carrageenan$ into hindpaw. Thickness of hindpaw, mechanical pain threshold (MPT), thermal pain threshold (TPT), noxious flexion withdrawal reflex (NFR) and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) were measured immediately after induction, at 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after induction. The electrical stimulation was given once a day for three days, 20min per session. Results: Change of thickness, MPT, and TPT showed significant difference in all groups compared to control group. In particular, there were remarkable difference in EA+ME group. In particular there were remarkable differences in EA group and EA+MC group. Change of NFR(% threshold, % reaction time, % RMS) and SEP showed mainly significant differences in EA group and EA+ME group compared to control group. In particular, there were remarkable difference in EA+ME group. Conclusion: The above results suggest that appropriate combination of microcurrent with electroacupuncture for pain control will be very desirable.