• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2020

Background: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), manual acupuncture (MA), and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) are used to treat a variety of pain conditions. These non-pharmacological treatments are often thought to work through similar mechanisms, and thus should have similar effects for different types of pain. However, it is unclear if each of these treatments work equally well on each type of pain condition. The purpose of this study was to compared the effects of TENS, MA, and SCS on neuropathic, inflammatory, and non-inflammatory pain models. Methods: TENS 60 Hz, 200 ㎲, 90% motor threshold (MT), SCS was applied at 60 Hz, an intensity of 90% MT, and a 0.25 ms pulse width. MA was performed by inserting a stainless-steel needle to a depth of about 4-5 mm at the Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Zusanli (ST36) acupoints on a spared nerve injury (SNI), knee joint inflammation (3% carrageenan), and non-inflammatory muscle pain (intramuscular pH 4.0 injections) in rats. Mechanical withdrawal thresholds of the paw, muscle, and/or joint were assessed before and after induction of the pain model, and daily before and after treatment. Results: The reduced withdrawal thresholds were significantly reversed by application of either TENS or SCS (P < 0.05). MA, on the other hand, increased the withdrawal threshold in animals with SNI and joint inflammation, but not chronic muscle pain. Conclusions: TENS and SCS produce similar effects in neuropathic, inflammatory and non-inflammatory muscle pain models while MA is only effective in inflammatory and neuropathic pain models.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.9-15
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• 2006

Skeletal muscle injury occurs frequently in sports medicine and is the most general form of injury followed by physical impact. There are growth factors which conduct proliferation, differentiation, and synthesis of myogenic prodromal cells and regulate vascular generation for the continued survival of myocytes. The purpose of the present study was to confirm the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and electrical stimulation (ES) on muscle recovery processes according to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into 2 experimental groups and a controlled group. All animals had suffered from crush damage in the extensor digitorum longus for 30 seconds and were killed 1, 3, and 7 days after injury. 30 Hz and 1 mA impulsion for 15 minutes was applied to the EA experimental groups Zusanli (ST36) and Taichong (LR3) using electroacupuncture and the same stimulation was applied to the ES group using an electrical node. Hematoxyline-Eosin staining and VEGF immunohistochemistry were used to ascertain the resulting muscle recovery. There were few morphological differences between the EA and ES groups, and both groups were observed to have tendencies to decrease atrophy as time passed. In the controlled group, gradually diminishing atrophy could be observed, but their forms were mostly disheveled. There were few differences in VEGF expression between the EA and ES groups, and tendencies to have an increased quantity of VEGF with the lapse of time were observed in both groups. In the controlled group, a little VEGF expression could be observed merely 7 days after injury. In conclusion, EA and ES contributed to muscle recovery processes and could be used for the treatment of muscle injury.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1285-1290
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• 2007

The present study aims to identify and characterize genes that cause differen genes between non-responders and responders to electroacupuncture (EA) on mechanical allodynia following peripheral nerve injury. Under sodium pentobarbital anesthesia, animals were subjected to unilateral transection of the superior caudal trunk at the level between S1 and S2 spinal nerves. EA stimulation (2Hz, 0.3 ms, 0.2-0.3 mA) was delivered to Zusanli (ST36) for 30 min 2 weeks after the surgery. The degree of mechanical allodynia was assessed quantitatively by touching the tail with von Frey hair (2.0 g) at 10 min intervals. The rats, which showed an EA-induced decrease of response frequencies under 10 %, were classified as non-responders and those displaying an EA-induced decrease of response frequencies 20 % or more were classified as responders. Results from oligonucleotide microarray, to which cDNAs from the spinal dorsal horn (DH) were applied, showed that hemoglobin beta chain complex and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-5 decreased and limbic system-associated membrane protein increased in the non-responder group, whereas calcium-independent alpha-Iatrotoxin receptor homolog-3 increased in the responder group. These results suggest that The functional abnormality of molecules regulating cell adhesion, intracellular signal transduction and cell differentiation in the spinal DH may be involved in the anti-allodynic effect of EA.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.47-59
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• 2007

The purpose of this study were to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture(EA) on sensory nerve function in acute hyperglycemia rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250~270 g(8 weeks of age) were used in this study, and the induced hyperglycemia rats were produced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(70 mg/kg body weight). Only animals with blood glucose levels of 300 mg/dl or higher were used in this study. Animal were divided into two groups: the control group and EA group (n=7 in each group). For EA, two stainless-steel needles were inserted into Zusanli (ST36) which is located at the anterior tibial muscle and about 10mm below the knee joint. Pulsed current(2 Hz, 0.3 ms) were applied to the inserted needle for 20 mim. We measured glucose level, weigh, sensory nerve conduction and somatosensory evoked potential(5EP) before and after injecting streptozotocin, 2 weeks, 4 weeks. The change of blood glucose on EA group trended to decrease compared with the control group and there were significant differences(p<0.05). The body weight of the EA group trended to be reduced compared with the control group and there were significant differences(p<0.05). The amplitude of sensory nerve action potential on EA group to increase compared with the control group and there were significant differences(p<0.05). There were no significant differences in SEP. These results suggest that EA has beneficial effect on diabetic neuropathy and this effect may be related in part with prevention of hyperglycemia.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2007

Drug eruption is a cutaneous reaction caused by various drugs. It is a very common drug induced adverse reaction. Contrast media induced drug eruption is rare. But approximately 10% of people injected with contrast media experience adverse reaction, and drug eruption accounts for more than 40% of all adverse reactions. We report a case of mild drug eruption and its treatment process based on korean traditional medicine. The patient is a 50 years old female diagnosed with functional dyspepsia. The patient had gastric discomfort and alternation between diarrhea and constipation. All symptoms showed nearly complete remission with continued korean traditional medical treatment. The patient had been injected with contrast media for Computed tomography(CT) evaluation of her breast cancer history. Rashes appeared on back and abdomen, and urticaria and pruritus appeared on the patient's finger 1 day after injection. We prescribed Goreisan(TSUMURA CO &, TJ-17) and acupuncture on Quchi(LI11), Zusanli(ST36), Yangxi(LI5), Yanggu(SI5). Consequently, the drug eruption showed remarkable improvement. So the author reports korean traditional medicine is effective complementary treatment for drug eruption.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.13 no.1 s.19
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• pp.93-100
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• 2007

TObjectives: Develop a sham moxibustion and determine whether subjects can distinguish a sham moxibustion from a real moxibustion. Design: Single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial Methods: Sham and real moxibustion resemble each other in appearance, burning procedure, but the base of the sham moxibustion isolates the moxa-producing heat and smoke. This device was tested in a clinical trial in which subjects received moxibustion at Zhongwan(CV12), Mingmen(GV4), Quchi(LI11), Zusanli(ST36), Taichong(LR3)), Hegu(LI4). Volunteers(n=32) were given pre-treatment questionnaire to assess their experience in getting moxibustion therapy and performing it. They randomized into treatment(n=16) or sham controlled group(n=16), received moxibustion according their groups. After treatments, the effectiveness of blinding was assessed. Results: There were no significant differences between two groups in sex, age, moxibustion experience. In the treatment group and the sham group, the number of subjects who believed they received real moxibustion or sham is not different significantly.(P=.668) The consistency of a moxibustion type which subjects received actually and the their guess about that, isn't different significantly in two groups.(P=.465) Conclusion: The sham moxibustion was successfully validated in this study, The results demonstrate that this sham moxibustion blinds subjects and can be used as effective placebo-control in moxibustion clinical trials.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.57-66
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• 2005

Objectives : We examined the effects of electroacupuncture on the cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. Methods : Rats were administered with $75{\mu}g/kg$ cholecystokinin-octapeptide subcutaneously three times (1, 3 and 5h after shaving) for 5days. Three days after finishing cholecystokinin-octapeptide administration, high frequency electroacupuncture (100Hz) and low frequency electroacupuncture (2Hz) were applied to acupoint equivalent to ST36 (Zusanli) for 7 days. The author determined the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, the levels of pancreatic heat shock protein HSP60 and HSP72. The author also assay the secretion of ${\beta}-amylase$, lipase and pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum. Repeated cholecysokinin-octapeptide treatment resulted in the typical laboratory and morphological changes of experimentally induced pancreatitis. Results : Eelectroacupuncture significantly decreased the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio in cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis, increased the pancreatic levels of HSP60 and HSP72, and decreased ${\beta}-amylase$ and lipase levels in cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis. Additionally, the secretion of $Interleukin-1{\beta}$ and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ was decreased in the animals treated with electroacupuncture. Conclusion : These results suggest that electroacupuncture may have protective effects against cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.348-356
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• 2007

Radix Paeoniae rubra (PR) has been widely used for recovering acute inflammation with swelling and pain in Far East Asian countries. In order to investigate the anti-arthritic effect of PR herbacupuncture, several behavioral parameters such as body weight, knee circumference, squeaking threshold, and weight distribution ratio were investigated in an adjuvant-induced mono-arthritis rat model. We performed PR herb-acupuncture on Zusanli (ST36) of the right hind-leg once every second day for a total of 6 times from the second day of initiating arthritis with adjuvant injection, while the control group was treated with saline in the same way. In the experimental group, body weight significantly increased, knee circumference and squeaking threshold significantly decreased indicating the reduction of edema, and both the pain and inflammatory swelling of the hind paws measured by incapacitance meter decreased. Conclusively, PR herb-acupuncture has more promising effect in alleviating arthritic pain and inflammation than saline-acupuncture in rat model, hence further clinical study is required.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.177-190
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• 2003

Objective : This study was intended to investigate the analgesic effects of electroacupuncture(EA) on mechanical allodynia according to the frequency and intensity of EA. Also to know if mechanical allodynia and the analgesic effects of EA is related to the sympathetci nervous system and/or the purinergic system. Methods : mechanical allodynia-induced rats were produced by resecting S1-S2 nerve. The zusanli(ST36) was used for acupoint and the rats were divided into 4 groups. Each group was given different stimuli[low frequency low intensity-EA(LFLI-EA), low frequency high intensity-EA(LFHI-EA), high frequency low intensity-EA(LFHI-EA), high frequency high intensity-EA(HFHI-EA)]. Futhermore, to make sympathectomy6-OHDA and phentolamine were administered intraperitonially and the concentration of norepinephrine(NE) were measured. As a ATP blocker, suramin was applied for this study. Results : Comparing to control group, each of the 4 groups(LFLI-EA, LFHI-EA, HFLI-EA, HFHI-EA) showed a significant reduction of response frequency of mechanical allodynia. LFHI-EA was more effective than that of LFLI-EA. The LFHI-EA group also had longer lasting effects from the stimulation than the other groups. Sympathectomy didn't show any reduction of response frequency of mechanical allodynia.(Each n=6, n=4). Nor did both sympathectomy and ATP block. The response frequency wasn't reduced by sympathectomy or by sympathectomy and ATP block, but was significantly reduced with LFHI-EA Conclusions : These results suggest that EA has a significant analgesic effect on mechanical allodynia which has no connection with NE and/or ATP.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.501-508
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• 2008

Anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Clematidis Radix (CR)-distillates were investigated in three different pain animal models. Highly purified distillate of CR was injected to Zusanli (ST36) acupoint, called CR herb-acupuncture in the Korean traditional medicine. In tail flick latency test, the CR herb-acupuncture treatment did not show a significant effect of relieving acute phasic pain. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of CR herb-acupuncture, inflammatory pain was induced by subcutaneous injection of formalin to the plantar tissue or intra-articular injection of carrageenan to the tibio-tarsal joint in the rats. And the medicinal effect of CR herb-acupuncture was evaluated by analyzing pain behavior such as licking or biting behavior, or by measuring weight distribution ratio between two foot and ankle circumference. In the rat formalin test, the analgesic effect of CR herb-acupuncture was more pronounced in the late phase (for 20 min after the early phase) than in the early phase (for the first 10 min post formalin injection). It also significantly alleviated the carrageenan-induced monoarthritis, in terms of weight distribution ratio and ankle edema. These results revealed that CR herb-acupuncture was effective to treat the inflammatory pain and could be used as an analgesic treatment with an antiinflammatory effect.