Effects of acupuncture stimulation at different acupoints on formalin-induced pain in rats.
Acupuncture is the process of stimulating skin regions called meridians or acupoints and has been used to treat pain-related symptoms. However, the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture may be different depending on acupoints. In the present study, the effects of acupuncture on behavioral responses and c-Fos expression were evaluated using a formalin test in male Sprague-Dawley rats in order to clarify the analgesic effects of three different acupoints. Each rat received manual acupuncture at the ST36 (Zusanli), SP9 (Yinlingquan) or BL60 (Kunlun) acupoint before formalin injection. Flinching and licking behaviors were counted by two blinded investigators. Fos-like immunoreactivity was examined by immunohistochemistry in the rat spinal cord. Manual acupuncture treatment at BL60 acupoint showed significant inhibition in flinching behavior but not in licking. Manual acupuncture at ST36 or SP9 tended to inhibit flinching and licking behaviors but the effects were not statistically significant. The acupuncture at ST36, SP9, or BL60 reduced c-Fos expression as compared with the control group. These results suggest that acupuncture especially at the BL60 acupoint is more effective in relieving inflammatory pain than other acupoints.
Department of Physiology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Kyung Ha
KH
Chang
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Sun Joon
SJ
Bai
Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
Hyejung
H
Lee
Department of Physiology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Bae Hwan
BH
Lee
Acupoint; Formalin; Manual acupuncture; Pain; c-Fos