• Marcos A Resende, George G Sabino, Claudia R M Cândido, Leani S M Pereira, and Janetti N Francischi.
• Departamento de Fisioterapia da Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, CEP: 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. mresende@eeffto.ufmg.br
• Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2004 Nov 19;504(3):217-22.

AbstractFew studies in the literature associated transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) use with an antiinflammatory activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of low (10 Hz)- and high (130 Hz)-frequency TENS on hyperalgesia and edema that occur after injection of carrageenan in rat paw. After induction of inflammation, either low- or high-frequency TENS was applied in the rat paw for 20 min, and the effect of TENS treatment on escape or paw withdrawal and edema was measured. Both low- and high-frequency TENS inhibited by 100% the hyperalgesia but not the edema response. However, low-frequency TENS presented longer lasting effect as compared with high-frequency TENS. Naltrexone-treated animals showed a complete reversion of the analgesic effect induced by low- but not high-frequency TENS. Thus, our data demonstrated absence of an antiinflammatory effect associated to TENS use and confirmed the participation of endogenous opioids on low TENS-induced analgesia.

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