Analgesic effects elicited by neuroactive mediators injected into the ST 36 acupuncture point on inflammatory and neuropathic pain in mice

Publication date: Available online 31 May 2018 Source:Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies Author(s): Jadina Santos Vieira, Jéssica Aline Toreti, Ravena Carolina de Carvalho, João Eduardo de Araújo, Marcelo Lourenço Silva, Josie Resende Torres Silva The present study evaluates whether the injection of serotonin, acetylcholine, glutamate, bradykinin, histamine or substance P into the Zusanli (Stomach 36, ST 36) acupoint can also produce the acupuncture-induced antinociceptive effect on inflammatory or neuropathic pain. In this in vivo experimental study a total of 450 male Swiss mice were used. Mice were injected with saline or complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or subjected to sham or chronic constriction injury (CCI) surgery. After the establishment of the inflammatory (4 hours) or the neuropathic pain (3 days) the animals (n=6) received manual acupuncture (MA), sham acupuncture (OUT) or injection of saline, serotonin, acetylcholine, glutamate, bradykinin, histamine or substance P into the ST 36 and were evaluated for up to 24 hours. Mechanical threshold was evaluated and the L4-L6 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was used for analysis of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) overexpression. The mice from both the CFA or CCI models and treated with MA had significant increases in the thresholds for more than 24 hours. OUT stimulation did not change the thresholds. In the mice injected with each of the mediators, the thresholds were significantl...
Source: Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies - Category: Complementary Medicine Source Type: research