• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.264-273
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• 2019

Objectives : Microglia play a crucial role in electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia on neuropathic pain. The role of chemokines in producing analgesic effects of EA, however, is largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the role of chemokines in producing analgesic effects of EA in the neuropathic pain model. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups (anesthetized group (ANE), non-acupoint EA group (NAP), and ST36 - GB34 EA group (ACU)). Neuropathic pain was induced by tight ligation of L5 spinal nerve. Mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity of hind paw was tested. Western blot tests and immunofluorescence assay for C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) levels and microglia activation were performed on spinal cord L5/6. EA was treated once daily from the 3rd day after surgery for 5 days. Results : EA treatments applied to ST36 and GB34 significantly reduced both mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity after two and three times of treatment, respectively. While CCL2 expression significantly increased in neuropathic rats, it was significantly reduced in the ACU. In addition, co-localization of CCL2 and activated microglia significantly decreased in the ACU compared to those of ANE and NAP in the spinal cord L5/L6 dorsal horn. Conclusions : The present results suggest that EA applied to ST36 and GB34 modulates the reduction of CCL2 release from the injured neurons and consequently decreases microglia activation in the spinal cord. Regulation of chemokine induced spinal activation of microglia plays a key role in analgesic effects of EA in the rat model of neuropathic pain.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.47-55
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to determine whether electroacupuncture(EA) is effective in reducing pain on the severe ankle sprain classified as grade 3 in rats. Methods : The severe(grade 3) ankle sprain model was induced surgically by ankle ligament injury(the anterior talofibular, the calcaneofibular and the posterior talofibular) in the Sprague-Dawley rats(180~250 g). The effects of EA on weight bearing forces(WBR) of the affected foot were examined in a rat model of ankle sprain. EA was applied to either SI6, ST37, GB34, GB39 or GB42 acupoints by trains of electrical pulses(2 Hz, 1 ms pulse width, 2 mA intensity) for 15 min. Results : Cutting of the lateral ankle ligament complex produced the severe ankle sprain symptoms as grade 3. EA of the contralateral SI6 resulted in more analgesic effect than one of ipsilateral SI6 even though there was significant effect. EA of the ipsilateral GB34 and GB39 produced potent analgesic effects on the surgical ankle sprained pain behaviors. However, there were no significant analgesic effects in the contralateral GB34 and GB39 EA groups. In addition, both side of ST37 and GB42 did not result in analgesic effect on the surgical ankle sprained rat. Conclusions : The data suggest that EA induced analgesia shows point specificity on the severe ankle sprained pain model classified as grade 3.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.568-573
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• 2009

개에서 구강 수술 시에 있어서, xylazine 또는 전침 진통을 적용시의 진통효과를 측정하기 위하여 본 연구를 실시하였다. Glucose (GLU), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), 및 blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 혈액화학치의 변화와 Vital signs (호흡수, 맥박수, 심박수) 그리고 통증 반응에 대한 영향을 알아보았다. 8마리의 건강한 2년령의 잡종개를 사용하였으며, 각 4마리씩 무작위로 선별하여 xylazine 또는 전침 군에 배정하였다. Xylazine 군의 개는 체중이 3.6${\pm}$1.0 kg 이었으며, xylazine 1.5 mg/kg을 근육주사 하였으며, 전침 군의 개는 체중이 3.9${\pm}$1.0 kg 이었으며, 최초 5분 동안은 1 volt (10-15 hz)를 적용하였고, 그 이후에는 1-9 Volts (25-30 hz)를 유지시켜서 총 60 분의 전침을 적용하였으며, 사용된 경혈은 삼간 (LI-3), 합곡 (LI-4) 및 하관(ST-7) 이었다. 모든 개들은 약물 처치 또는 전침 실행에 있어서, 투여 전 및 투여 후10, 25, 40, 55 및 120분에 검사하였다. 전침 군의 평균 직장체온은, 투여 후 25, 40 및 55분에 있어서 xylazine 군에 비하여 유의성 있게 높은 결과를 나타내었다 (p < 0.05). 전침군의 평균 심박수는, 투여 후 10, 25, 40 및 55분에 있어서 xylazine 군에 비하여 유의성 있게 높은 결과를 나타내었다 (p < 0.05). 전침 군의 평균 호흡수는, 투여 후 55 및 120분에 있어서 xylazine 군에 비하여 유의성 있게 높은 결과를 나타내었다 (p < 0.05). 전침군의 평균 GLU는, 투여 후 55 및 120분에 있어서 xylazine 군에 비하여 유의성 있게 낮은 결과를 나타내었다. (p < 0.05). 전침 군의 평균 통증지수 총계는, 투여 후 10, 25, 40 및 55분에 있어서 xylazine 군에 비하여 유의성 있게 높은 결과를 나타내었다 (p < 0.05). 전침 군의 진통이 xylazine 군에 비하여 더욱 양호 하였다. 침술 유도된 외과적 진통과 관련된 어떠한 부정적인 생리학적 영향도 나타나지 않았다. 따라서, 허약한 환자에서 구강의 소 수술에 있어서, 이들 경혈을 사용한 전침 진통은 유용할 것으로 생각된다.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.265-270
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• 2017

목적 : 이 연구는 흰쥐 염증성 통증 모델에서 족궐음간경의 형혈 전침의 진통효과를 조사하고 이 전침의 진통효과에 내인성 오피오이드가 관계되어 있는지 조사하고자 하였다. 방법 : 무릎 관절염은 $125{\mu}l$ complete Freund's adjuvant를 흰쥐의 한쪽 무릎관절강에 주입하여 유도하였다. 통증 정도를 검사하기 위해 관절염을 유도한 쪽 뒷다리의 weight bearing forces(WBFs)를 측정하였다. 전침은 건측 행간, 합곡, 또는 뒷다리의 비경혈에 가스 마취하에서 2 Hz, 2 mA 자극조건으로 처치하였다. 결과 : 관절염을 유도한 이후에, 점차적으로 무릎에 통증이 증가하기 때문에 관절염을 유발한 쪽 뒷발로 딛는 압력이 감소하였다. 건측 행간에 전침 자극을 한 군에서 전침 자극 후 최소 2시간까지 유의하게 WBF가 증가하였으며, 이 효과는 구강으로 투여한 indomethacin 5 mg/kg의 효과에 해당하였으며, 이 전침의 효과는 합곡이나 비경혈에서는 나타나지 않았다. 아울러 이 진통효과는 오피오이드 길항제인naltrexone(10 mg/kg, i.p.)을 전처치했을 때 차단되었다. 결론 : 이상의 결과는 족궐음간경의 형혈인 행간 자침이 흰쥐 관절염 모델에서 염증성 통증을 억제하는 효과가 있음을 보여주며, 이 효과는 내인성 오피오이드 시스템이 매개하는 것으로 보인다.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.36-44
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• 1999

Objectives: It has been well known that electroacupuncture(EA) has an analgesic effect and there is a pain control system in the central nervous system(CNS). The pain control system is composed of three major nuclei, which are periaqueductal gray(PAG), raphe nuclei, and the pain inhibitory complex located in the spinal cord. It has been suggested that the analgesic effect of EA might be the result of activation of the pain control system in the CNS. However, there may be a possibility that other nuclei are also involved in this pain modulation. Thus, we investigated whether the posterior intralaminar thalamic nuclei (PTIN) are involved in the pain modulation. Methods: To measure the level of pain, the jaw opening reflex (JOR) was used as a pain index. The magnitude of JOR is estimated by averaging the area of 10 successive responses. JOR was evoked by tooth-pulp stimulation with bipolar electrode carrying stimulus with the following parameters: intensity ranging from 420uA to 680ulA, 0.3ms duration of square pulse, and 0.5 Hz. Hapkog($LI_4$) and Taechung ($LR_3$) were the chosen acupoints. The Hapkog point was stimulated ipsilaterally at 5V, 3 Hz, for 15min in total, and the Taechung was stimulated at 2-3 V, 3 Hz, and for a total of 15 or 30 minutes. Different intensities of stimulation were given the PITN; one was given at $300{\mu}A$ and the other was at 500uA. The position stimulated in these nuclei by Paxinos Atlas was AP; from bregma $-4.0{\sim}-4.3mm,\;L; 0.5{\sim}1.8mm,\;D;\;4.8{\sim}6.3mm$. Results: The Hapkog point had a significant analgesic effect (P<0.05). However, the Taechung point had no effect. Both types of stimulation in the PITN did not reveal any analgesic effects. Conclusions: From these results, it was suggested that the posterior intralaminar thalamic nuclei are not involved in the modulation of pain.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.283-289
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• 2002

본 연구에서는 개에서 전침술이 isoflurane 마취시의 MAC 및 심맥관계에 미치는 영향 및 전침처치시간에 따른 차이에 대하여 조사하였다. 임상적으로 건강한 19개월령, 수컷 비글견 8두를 사용하였다. 대조군, 비혈위 전기자극군, 30분간 전침군(SP-6) 및 연속 전침군(SP-6C)으로 나누어 군 당 5두씩 무작위로 최소 7일간의 휴약기를 두며 실험에 사용하였다. 전침처치는 SP-6 혈위에 2-4V 20Hz로 30분간(SP-6)또는 MAC의 측정이 끝날 때 까지 연속적으로(SP-6C) 실시하였다. SP-6C군에서의 전침자극시간은 70-90분이었다. Isoflurane으로 마취를 유도한 후 전침을 실시하고 MAC와 cardiovascular parameters를 측정 하였다. 전침 후 MAC는 SP-6 및 SP-6C 군에서 각각 21.3$\pm$8.0% 및 16.1$\pm$4.6% 씩 유의적으로 저하되었으나(p<0.05) 전침시간에 따른 유의성은 없었다. 그러나 대조군과 비혈위 전기자극군에 비해서는 유의적으로 저하되었다(p<0.05). 전침처치 후 심맥관계에는 유의성 있는 변화가 인정되지 않았다. 이상의 결과로 보아, SP-6혈위에 대한 전침은 개에서 심맥관계의 부작용을 최소화하면서isoflurane의 MAC을 유의성 있게 감소시켰으며, 이러한 효과는 30분간의 전침자극으로 충분하다고 사료된다.

• 한국전통의학지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.113-127
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• 2006

Objectives: This study was produced to examine the effects of moxibustion that had been played important role to traditional oriental medical treatment on disease. Recently, it was reported that moxi-tar which is generated in the process of moxibustion as burning combustibles decreased nitric oxide(NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) generation in cellular experiments. Methods: Carrageenan-induced arthritis rat model was used to test the effect of moxi-tar as a chronic pain model. Diluted moxi-tar was single injected in several acupoints or combined with electroacupuncture (l ms, 2 Hz, and 2 mA) into contralateral ST36 acupoint for 30 min to assess the synergic effects. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 12 hours. Endogenous NO and iNOS, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord were examined on a rat model of carrageenan-induced arthritis. Results : After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee, since oral injection of indomethacin produced temporary improvement of weight bearing. Maxi-tar produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 9 hours. The magnitude of this improvement was equivalent to that obtained after an oral injection of 3 mg/kg of indomethacin and this improvement of stepping force was interpreted as an analgesic effect. Maxi-tar produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by maxi-tar. Moxi-tar on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis than either moxi-tar or EA did. Conclusion : The present study suggest that maxi-tar produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic knee arthritis pain model in the rat and that moxi-tar-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.