Acute electroacupuncture inhibits nitric oxide synthase expression in the spinal cord of neuropathic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of electroacupuncture stimulation on behavioral changes and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the rat spinal cord after nerve injury.


METHODS
Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neuropathic surgery by tightly ligating and cutting the left tibial and sural nerves. Behavioral responses to mechanical stimulation were tested for 2 weeks post-operatively. At the end of behavioral testing, electroacupuncture stimulation was applied to ST36 (Choksamni) and SP9 (Eumleungcheon) acupoints. Immunocytochemical staining was performed to investigate changes in the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons in the L4-5 spinal cord.


RESULTS
Mechanical allodynia was observed by nerve injury. The mechanical allodynia was decreased after electroacupuncture stimulation. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression was also decreased in L4-5 spinal cord by electroacupuncture treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that electroacupuncture relieves mechanical allodynia in the neuropathic rats possibly by the inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the spinal cord.
Cha
Myeoung Hoon
MH
Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-749, Korea.
Bai
Sun Joon
SJ
Lee
Kyung Hee
KH
Cho
Zang Hee
ZH
Kim
Young-Bo
YB
Lee
Hye-Jung
HJ
Lee
Bae Hwan
BH
D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000293:injuries; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000293:injuries; D020429:Tibial Neuropathy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I