The study on the analgesic effect and its mechanism of electroacupuncture in the rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis

Adjuvant 유발(誘發) 관절염(關節炎)에 대(對)한 전침자극(電針刺戟)의 진통효과(鎭痛效果) 및 그 기전(機轉)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究)

To study the analgesic and effect and its mechanism of eletroacupunture(EA) on the chronic inflammatory pain 50 rats were induced with arthralgesia by injecting complete freund's adjuvant(CFA). Two weeks after the injection of CFA, EA stimulation(2Hz, 0.07mA, 0.3ms) was delivered to Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) for 20 minutes. Analgesic effect was evaluated by using the tail flick latency(TFL) and the analgesic mechanism was observed by applying TFL with the pretreatment with naloxone and yohimbine. The results were as follows ; 1. TFL level for the model of adjuvant-induced arthritis decreased as time went by and it induced the hyperalgesia. 2. EA stimulation delivered to Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) for 20 minutes in the rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis brought analgesic effect and its effect had lasted for 40 minutes after the stimulation. 3. The analgesic effect of Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) EA in the rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis was blocked by pretreatment with naloxone(2mg/kg,i.p). This result suggests that the EA effect on the chronic inflammatory pain can be related to the endogenous opioid mechanism. 4. The analgesic effect of Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) EA in the rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis was blocked by pretreatment with naloxone(2mg/kg,i.p). This result suggests that the EA effect on the chronic inflammatory pain can be related to the ${\alpha}_2$-adrenergic mechanism.