Clinical Pain

Korean Association of Pain Medicine (대한임상통증학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Comparison of Regeneration Effects of Direct and Alternating Microcurrent Therapy on Atrophied Calf Muscle in a Rabbit

비복근 위축 토끼 모델에서 직류 및 교류 미세전류의 근육 재생 효과 비교

  • Kim, Dong Han (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine) ;
  • Kwon, Dong Rak (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine) ;
  • Moon, Yong Suk (Department of Anatomy, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine)
  • 김동한 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실) ;
  • 권동락 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실) ;
  • 문용석 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 해부학교실)
  • Received : 2020.09.29
  • Accepted : 2020.11.05
  • Published : 2020.12.31
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Objective: We compared the regenerative effects of microcurrent therapy (MT) according to the type of electric current, which were direct current microcurrent therapy (DCMT) and alternating current microcurrent therapy (ACMT) on atrophied calf muscle in cast-immobilized rabbit. Method: Rabbits were allocated into control group (sham MT), ACMT group, and DCMT group. Before starting treatment, right gastrocnemius (GCM) muscle was immobilized by cast for 2 weeks. Compound muscle action potential of tibial nerve in nerve conduction study, circumference of calf muscle using a ruler, and thickness of medial and lateral GCM muscle measured by ultrasound, cross sectional area (CSA), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) ratios (%) of muscle fibers were measured on the immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The mean atrophic changes (%) in right medial and lateral GCM muscle thickness, right calf circumference, and amplitude of CMAP of the right tibial nerve in ACMT group and DCMT group were significantly lower than those in control group, respectively (p<0.05). The mean CSA (μm2) of type I and type II and PCNA ratios (%) of medial and lateral GCM muscle fibers in ACMT group and DCMT group were significantly greater than those in control group, respectively (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the ACMT group and DCMT group at all parameters. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that ACMT and DCMT showed better regeneration effect than sham MT. Microcurrent may be effective in regeneration of atrophied muscle regardless of the type of current.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2016R1D1A1B01014260).

References

  1. Dirks ML, Wall BT, Snijders T, Ottenbros CL, Verdijk LB, van Loon LJ. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation prevents muscle disuse atrophy during leg immobilization in humans. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2014; 210: 628-641 https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.12200
  2. Edgerton VR, Roy RR, Allen DL, Monti RJ. Adaptations in skeletal muscle disuse or decreased-use atrophy. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2002; 81: S127-S147 https://doi.org/10.1097/00002060-200211001-00014
  3. Thomason DB, Booth FW. Atrophy of the soleus muscle by hindlimb unweighting. J Appl Physiol (1985) 1990; 68: 1-12 https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1990.68.1.1
  4. Deitrick JE. The effect of immobilization on metabolic and physiological functions of normal men. Bull N Y Acad Med 1948; 24: 364-375
  5. Tzankoff SP, Norris AH. Effect of muscle mass decrease on age-related BMR changes. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol 1977; 43: 1001-1006
  6. Christensen T, Bendix T, Kehlet H. Fatigue and cardiorespiratory function following abdominal surgery. Br J Surg 1982; 69: 417-419 https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.1800690721
  7. Stevens JE, Walter GA, Okereke E, Scarborough MT, Esterhai JL, George SZ, et al. Muscle adaptations with immobilization and rehabilitation after ankle fracture. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004; 36: 1695-1701 https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000142407.25188.05
  8. Fujiya H, Ogura Y, Ohno Y, Goto A, Nakamura A, Ohashi K, et al. Microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation facilitates regeneration of injured skeletal muscle in mice. J Sports Sci Med 2015; 14: 297-303
  9. Cheng N, Van Hoof H, Bockx E, Hoogmartens MJ, Mulier JC, De Dijcker FJ, et al. The effects of electric currents on ATP generation, protein synthesis, and membrane transport of rat skin. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1982: 264-272
  10. Moon YS, Kwon DR, Lee YJ. Therapeutic effect of microcurrent on calf muscle atrophy in immobilized rabbit. Muscle Nerve 2018; 58: 270-276 https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.26110
  11. Merz CR. Consideration of a Variable Frequency Energy Conversion System for Marine and Onshore Wind Energy Extraction. Marine Technology Society Journal 2013; 47: 218-225 https://doi.org/10.4031/MTSJ.47.4.11
  12. Byl NN, McKenzie AL, West JM, Whitney JD, Hunt TK, Hopf HW, et al. Pulsed microamperage stimulation: a controlled study of healing of surgically induced wounds in Yucatan pigs. Phys Ther 1994; 74: 201-213 https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/74.3.201
  13. Omura YJA, Research E-T. Electro-acupuncture: its electro-physiological basis and criteria for effectiveness and safety-part I. 1975; 1: 157-181
  14. Zickri MB. Possible local stem cells activation by microcurrent application in experimentally injured soleus muscle. Int J Stem Cells 2014; 7: 79-86 https://doi.org/10.15283/ijsc.2014.7.2.79
  15. Kauhanen S, von Boguslawsky K, Michelsson JE, Leivo I. Satellite cell proliferation in rabbit hindlimb muscle following immobilization and remobilization: an immunohistochemical study using MIB 1 antibody. Acta Neuropathol 1998; 95: 165-170 https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010050782
  16. Park GY, Kwon DR, Moon YS. Low-intensity microcurrent therapy promotes regeneration of atrophied calf muscles in immobilized rabbits. J Biomed Res 2019; 33: 30
  17. Farmer SE, James M. Contractures in orthopaedic and neurological conditions: a review of causes and treatment. Disabil Rehabil 2001; 23: 549-558 https://doi.org/10.1080/09638280010029930
  18. Armand AS, Laziz I, Djeghloul D, Lecolle S, Bertrand AT, Biondi O, et al. Apoptosis-inducing factor regulates skeletal muscle progenitor cell number and muscle phenotype. PLoS One 2011; 6: e27283 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0027283
  19. Best TM, Hunter KD. Muscle injury and repair. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2000; 11: 251-266 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1047-9651(18)30128-1
  20. Grounds MD. Muscle regeneration: molecular aspects and therapeutic implications. Curr Opin Neurol 1999; 12: 535-543 https://doi.org/10.1097/00019052-199910000-00007
  21. Hill M, Wernig A, Goldspink G. Muscle satellite (stem) cell activation during local tissue injury and repair. J Anat 2003; 203: 89-99 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-7580.2003.00195.x
  22. Morioka S, Goto K, Kojima A, Naito T, Matsuba Y, Akema T, et al. Functional overloading facilitates the regeneration of injured soleus muscles in mice. J Physiol Sci 2008; 58: 397-404 https://doi.org/10.2170/physiolsci.RP004008
  23. Matsuba Y, Goto K, Morioka S, Naito T, Akema T, Hashimoto N, et al. Gravitational unloading inhibits the regenerative potential of atrophied soleus muscle in mice. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2009; 196: 329-339 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.2008.01943.x
  24. Kauhanen S, Leivo I, Pettila M, Michelsson JE. Recovery of skeletal muscle after immobilization of rabbit hindlimb. A light microscopic study. APMIS 1996; 104: 797-804 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1699-0463.1996.tb04945.x
  25. Guo BS, Cheung KK, Yeung SS, Zhang BT, Yeung EW. Electrical stimulation influences satellite cell proliferation and apoptosis in unloading-induced muscle atrophy in mice. PLoS One 2012; 7: e30348 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0030348
  26. Poltawski L, Johnson M, Watson T. Microcurrent therapy in the management of chronic tennis elbow: pilot studies to optimize parameters. Physiother Res Int 2012; 17: 157-166 https://doi.org/10.1002/pri.526
  27. CHEN C, Hess P. Calcium channels in mouse 3T3 and human-fibroblasts. Biophysical Journal 1987; 51: A226
  28. Bourguignon GJ, Bourguignon LY. Electric stimulation of protein and DNA synthesis in human fibroblasts. Faseb j 1987; 1: 398-402 https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.1.5.3678699
  29. McMakin CR, Oschman JL. Visceral and somatic disorders: tissue softening with frequency-specific microcurrent. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2013; 19: 170-177 https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2012.0384
  30. Curtis D, Fallows S, Morris M, McMakin C. The efficacy of frequency specific microcurrent therapy on delayed onset muscle soreness. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies 2010; 14: 272-279 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.01.009