Balance Study Analgesic Effects And Mechanism Of The Experimental Rats

Objective:Using normal rats as subjects, this experiment is to observe the influences of the indexes including pain threshold、beta endorphin (β-EP)、5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)、and acetylcholine (ACh) by balance acupuncture before and after treatment. The purpose of this study is to discuss the action mechanism of balance acupuncture for analgesia in rat lower limbs in the aspects of ethology、neurophysiology、and biochemistry, etc; and to provide experiment evidences to the clinical application of balance acupuncture for various pain disorders, then to generalize the application of balance acupuncture in clinic.Methods:48healthy male SD rats were divided randomly into two groups:the blank group and the balance acupuncture group (BA group). Using the methods of ethology and radioimmunoassay, the blank group was selected as control group. Both of the two groups were stimulated by the PL-200thermo-stimulator to cause pain in the hind paw of the rats, and to test the pain threshold of the bilateral hind paws. The rats in the BA group were intervened by needling the Huaitong acupoint by balance acupuncture, and the pain threshold at different times was observed within a week. The pain threshold of the blank group was also observed at the same time. We detected and contrasted the changes of the levels of β-EP,5-HT, ACh in the hypothalamus and serum a week later.Results:(1)Ethology—Changes of the pain threshold of bilateral hind paws stimulated by thermo-stimulator.①After one day’s treatment, the pain threshold in the rats was shortened but not extended; after three days’treatment, the pain threshold was extended slightly than before, but there were no obvious differences (P>0.05).②After five and seven days’ treatment, compared with the bank group, the pain threshold of the BA group was extended obviously, and the statistical difference was very significant(P<0.01); Within the BA groups, the pain threshold after treatment was extended obviously than before, the statistical difference was very significant(P<0.01).(2)The changes of β-EP level:The level of β-EP in the hypothalamus decreased obviously, which was significantly different from that in the blank group(P<0.01); the level of β-EP in the serum increased obviously, which was significantly different from that in the blank group (P<0.05).(3)The changes of5-HT level:The level of5-HT in the hypothalamus increased obviously, which was significantly different from that in the blank group (P<0.05). (4)The changes of Ach level:The level of ACh in the serum increased obviously, which was significantly different from that in the blank group (P<0.05).Conclusion:The balance acupuncture has a good effect in rapid analgesia. It can activate the endogenous analgesia system, and works swiftly and persistently through both central and peripheral regulation.