Acupoint stimulation using bee venom attenuates formalin-induced pain behavior and spinal cord fos expression in rats.
In two previous reports, we have demonstrated that injection of bee venom (BV) into an acupoint produces a significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect in both a mouse model of visceral nociception and a rat model of chronic arthritis. The present study was designed to evaluate the potential antinociceptive effect of BV pretreatment on formalin-induced pain behavior and it associated spinal cord Fos expression in rats. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with BV directly into the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint or into an arbitrary non-acupoint located on the back. BV pretreatment into the Zusanli acupoint significantly decreased paw-licking time in the late phase of the formalin test. In contrast, BV injected into a non-acupoint in the back region did not suppress the paw-licking time. In addition, BV pretreatment into the Zusanli acupoint markedly inhibited spinal cord Fos expression induced by formalin injection. These findings indicate that BV pretreatment into the Zusanli acupoint has an antinociceptive effect on formalin-induced pain behavior.
Kim
Hyun-Woo
HW
Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Kwon
Young-Bae
YB
Ham
Tae-Won
TW
Roh
Dae-Hyun
DH
Yoon
Seo-Yeon
SY
Lee
Hye-Jung
HJ
Han
Ho-Jae
HJ
Yang
Il-Suk
IS
Beitz
Alvin J
AJ
Lee
Jang-Hern
JH
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059408:Pain Management; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*
D001514:Bee Venoms; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D005557:Formaldehyde