Benefits of external qigong therapy on morphine-abstinent mice and rats.
OBJECTIVE
To exclude possible psychological effects of qigong therapy in the treatment of addiction effectively, morphine-dependence models need to be established in mice and rats.


METHODS
The effects of external qi on withdrawal syndrome were examined in naloxone-precipitated mice and rats in three randomized control experiments: naloxone-precipitated test in morphine-dependent mice (n = 100 in 5 groups, 20 mice each group); conditioned position preference test in morphine-abstinent mice (n = 30 for 3 groups, 10 each); and naloxone-precipitated test with paired box in morphine-dependent rats (n = 40 for 4 groups, 10 each).


RESULTS
These experiments showed that morphine-dependent mice, after external qigong (EQ) therapy, had decreased incidence of jumping and lower jumping frequencies, and attenuated loss of body weight. After EQ therapy, morphine-dependent rats had reduced withdrawal scores and body weight loss was inhibited. In the conditioned place preference test, the time spent in the drug-paired box was significantly shorter for the qigong group than for the morphine group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that qigong might have an inhibitory effect on withdrawal syndrome, and reduce the dependence potential in mice. Three different designs confirm that the impact of qigong therapy on morphine-abstinent mice and rats is reliable and substantial. Further research on the effectiveness and the mechanism of qigong therapy on addiction is warranted.
Mo
Zhixian
Z
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the First Military Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Chen
Kevin W
KW
Ou
Wenwei
W
Li
Ming
M
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009294:Narcotics; D009270:Naloxone; D009020:Morphine