Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research / [Zhongguo yi xue ke xue yuan Yi xue qing bao yan jiu suo bian ji]
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In the present investigation the intensity of stimulated electro-acupuncture (EA) was measured by electrophysiological collision technique. In the behavioral experiments, by applying the weak electro-acupuncture pulses (50 Hz, 1-1.5mA), not enough to activated A delta afferent fibers, to Yanglingquan and Xuanzhong points, the latency of nociceptive hind limb withdrawal reflex, but not tail-flick latency was prolonged. Administered intraperitoneally, both theophylline and caffeine, P1-purinergic (adenosine) receptor antagonists, could block the electroacupuncture-induced elevation of the nociceptive thresholds in a dose-effect related manner, whereas dipyridamole, an inhibitor of adenosine release, could shorten the after of electro-acupuncture in a dose dependent way. These results suggest that weak electro-acupuncture may induce analgesia and purines appear to be involved in this process.
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Comparative Study
[The extensiveness and specificity of analgesia of electroacupuncture (EA) at different points on the nociceptive responses of neuron in spinal dorsal horn].
The experiments were performed in anaesthetized rats. The responses of convergent neurons in spinal dorsal horn to noxious stimuli (10mA, 2ms) given at the hindpaw receptive field were recorded extracellularly by glass microelectrodes. The effects of EA on the nociceptive response were observed. ⋯ But the same EA of "Xiaguan" lacked this inhibitory effect (9.50 +/- 7.67%). There was statistically significant difference between EA effects of "Zusanli" and "Xiaguan" (P < 0.001) when intensity of EA is lower. These results suggested that analgesia of high intensity EA is extensive, but that of low intensity EA is produced only when the point is in the same or nearby spinal segment with nociceptive field, showing the extensiveness and specificity of EA analgesia of different points.
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Our previous study demonstrated that acupuncture increased pain threshold of the body, especially in the inflammatory area. Because acupuncture can promote the release of enkephalin in the brain, it is possible that analgesic effect of acupuncture could be further strengthened by administration of fentanylan opioid receptor's agonist and droperidol-dopamine receptor's agonist at same time. In present study arthritic rats induced by freund's complete adjuvant were divided into two groups. ⋯ There is a statistical significant difference between this common dose group and acupuncture control group which only kept analgesic effect 90 minutes, P less than 0.01. When only 1/5 dose of these drugs with acupuncture was applied to arthritic rats, not only the pain threshold reached to 180 + 3% (P less than 0.01), but also the analgesic effect persisted as long as 120 minutes (P less than 0.01). The results from mentioned above suggested that if a small dose of drug is no effect in usual treatment, it could still play a role and reduce the pharmacological side effect by way of combining acupuncture application.