title: Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of electroacupuncture on experimental arthritis of the rat temporomandibular joint.
abstract: This study investigated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on zymosan-induced acute arthritis of the rat temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Male Wistar rats were injected with saline or zymosan (control group; 2 mg) into the left TMJ. Low frequency EA (10 Hz, 30 min) was performed at acupoints (LI4, LI11, ST36, ST44) or sham points 2 h after or 1 h before zymosan administration. Mechanical hypernociception was accessed by the electronic Von Frey method after zymosan administration. Rats were sacrificed 6 h after zymosan administration and the joint was removed for histopathological analysis, myeloperoxidase activity assessment, vascular permeability observations, and immunohistochemical verification of inflammatory mediators. The results showed that EA inhibited zymosan-induced hypernociception, compared with the control group and with the sham group (p < 0.05). The results showed that EA inhibited inflammatory parameters such as neutrophil migration, vascular permeability, and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in the TMJ compared with the sham group (p < 0.05). Histopathological analysis showed that EA significantly inhibited edema and periarticular infiltration (p < 0.05) compared with the control and sham groups. EA at acupoints produced antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects on zymosan-induced arthritis in the rat TMJ.
authors.affiliation: Medical Sciences Post-Graduation, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. delanegondim@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Delane Viana
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Gondim
authors.forename: Jéssyca Lima
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Suellen Sousa
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Gerly Anne de Castro
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Ronaldo de Albuquerque
authors.initials: Rde A
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Mariana Lima
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vale
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D004487:Edema / Q000628:therapy; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D059226:Nociceptive Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015054:Zymosan
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015054:Zymosan; D009195:Peroxidase