• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.95-108
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• 2005

Objective : In the present study, the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) applied to several acupoints and non-acupoint in CFA-induced knee arthritis was examined. Methods : A common source of persistent pain in humans is arthritis. Arthritis was induced by injection of CFA $125\;{\mu}l$ into knee joint cavity under enflurane anesthesia. The rat subsequently showed swelling of the ankle and a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for the next several days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee. EA was applied to either of $LR_2,\;LI_4$, or non-acupoint on the contralateral forelimb for 30 min under gaseous anesthesia. After the termination of EA, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 4 h. Results : EA applied to $LR_2$ point produced a significant improvement of stepping force of the affected foot lasting for at least 2 h. However, neigher $LI_4$ point nor non-point produced any significant increase of weight bearing force. The improvement of stepping pressure was interpreted as an analgesic effect. The analgesic effect was specific to the acupuncture point since the analgesic effect on CFA-induced knee arthritic pain model could not be mimicked by EA applied to a point, $LI_4$ or non-acupoint. In addition, both NO production and iNOS protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by EA applied to $LR_2$ point. Conclusion : These data suggest that EA produces a potent analgesic effect in the rat model of CFA-induced knee arthritis. This analgesic effect is produced by applying EA to an acupoint at opposite side from the painful area in a stimulus point-specific way.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.283-289
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• 2002

본 연구에서는 개에서 전침술이 isoflurane 마취시의 MAC 및 심맥관계에 미치는 영향 및 전침처치시간에 따른 차이에 대하여 조사하였다. 임상적으로 건강한 19개월령, 수컷 비글견 8두를 사용하였다. 대조군, 비혈위 전기자극군, 30분간 전침군(SP-6) 및 연속 전침군(SP-6C)으로 나누어 군 당 5두씩 무작위로 최소 7일간의 휴약기를 두며 실험에 사용하였다. 전침처치는 SP-6 혈위에 2-4V 20Hz로 30분간(SP-6)또는 MAC의 측정이 끝날 때 까지 연속적으로(SP-6C) 실시하였다. SP-6C군에서의 전침자극시간은 70-90분이었다. Isoflurane으로 마취를 유도한 후 전침을 실시하고 MAC와 cardiovascular parameters를 측정 하였다. 전침 후 MAC는 SP-6 및 SP-6C 군에서 각각 21.3$\pm$8.0% 및 16.1$\pm$4.6% 씩 유의적으로 저하되었으나(p<0.05) 전침시간에 따른 유의성은 없었다. 그러나 대조군과 비혈위 전기자극군에 비해서는 유의적으로 저하되었다(p<0.05). 전침처치 후 심맥관계에는 유의성 있는 변화가 인정되지 않았다. 이상의 결과로 보아, SP-6혈위에 대한 전침은 개에서 심맥관계의 부작용을 최소화하면서isoflurane의 MAC을 유의성 있게 감소시켰으며, 이러한 효과는 30분간의 전침자극으로 충분하다고 사료된다.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.872-876
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• 2010

The present study found that EA pre-treatment effectively attenuated both spinal ERK activation and hyperalgesia against carrageenan-induced inflammation, whereas EA co-treatment with carrageenan injection unexpectedly elevated ERK activation in a synergistic manner and virtually had no analgesic effect. Therefore, we have concluded that the molecular mechanism of EA anagesia may be related to the inhibition of spinal ERK activation. Further experiments are required to find the intermediate candidates which transmits the pain-alleviating signals on the way of inhibiting ERK activation by EA.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.138-151
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• 2003

Although the use of acupuncture for pain has increased in recent years, the mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia (AA) remains obscure. The lack of suitable experimental animal models for persistent pain, which show clear AA, has been the major stumbling block in the investigation of the physiological mechanisms of AA. In the present study, we test AA in two knee arthritis model induced by injection of CFA or carrageenan as a chronic pain model. After induction of arthritis, the rat subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for the next several days. Electroacupuncture (EA) was applied to an acupuncture point each on the contralateral forelimb for 30 minutes under enflurane anesthesia. After the termination of EA, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next several hours. EA produced a significant improvement of stepping force of the foot lasting for at least 2 hours when applied to LR2 In CFA model, and applied to ST36 in carrageenan model, but both points did not produce any significant effects in each other model. These data suggest that EA produce analgesic effect in knee arthritic pain and the analgesic effect is specific to the acupuncture point.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.305-318
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) at an acupoint, HT8(Sobu), on normal humans by using power spectral analysis. We examined the effect on the Heart Rate Variability(HRV), and the balance of the autonomic nervous system. Methods : Thirty-two healthy volunteers participated in this study. EEG(Electroencephalogram) power spectrum exhibits site-specific and state-related differences in specific frequency bands. A thirty-two channel EEG study was carried out on thirty-two subjects(14 males; mean age=23.5 years old, 18 females; mean age=21.5 years old). HRV and EEG were simultaneously recorded before and after acupuncture. Results : In the ${\alpha}$(alpha) band, during the HT8-acupoint treatment, the power values in the ${\alpha}$(alpha) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 28 channels. In the ${\beta}$(beta) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 26 channels. In ${\delta}$(delta) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 18 channels. In ${\theta}$(theta) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 20 channels. ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ values were increased at 6 channels and decreased at 10 channels.${\beta}/{\theta}$ values were increased at 10 channels and decreased at 19 channels. Mean-RR(RR-interval), Complexity, RMSSD(Root mean square of successive differences), SDSD(Standard deviations differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals), norm HF showed a significantly increased and mean-HRV, norm LF, LHR(LF/HF Ratio) showed a significantly decreased after HT8-acupoint treatment(p<0.05). Conclusions : These results suggest that EA at the HT8 mostly causes significant changes on alpha(28 channels), beta(26 channels), delta(18 channels), theta(20 channels) bands and mean-HRV, mean-RR, complexity, RMSSD, SDSD, norm LF, norm HF and LHR. If practicing EA at the HT8, it will regulate the function of the cerebral cortex, decrease activity of the sympathetic and increase parasympathetic nervous activity.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.700-703
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• 2009

The present study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) can alleviate hypertension and concomitant disorders such as decreased kidney weight and elevation of serum creatinine in spontaneous hypertensive rats. EA (2 Hz, 3 mA, 10 min) was applied to Joksamni (ST36) once daily for 7 days. Body weight, blood pressure and heart rate were measured on Day 0, 2, 6, 8, 10 and 12, and kidney weight and serum creatinine levels were examined after sacrifice (on Day 12 after last examination). In the ST36 group, the blood pressure were significantly decreased from 6thdays and its effects lasted up to Day12 (up to 5days after cessation of acupuncture), compared to control. And, significant decreases of the heart rates after EA at ST36 were also observed on Day 2, 6, and 8. However, there were no significant differences in daily body weight, kidney weight and serum creatinine between acupuncture and control group. These results showed that EA at ST36 caused anti-hypertension by decreasing blood pressure and heart rates in spontaneous hypertenstive rats, although it failed to alleviate concomitant disorders such as the decreased kidney weight and elevation of serum creatinine shown in hypertensive rats.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.76-83
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• 2021

While carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy affecting the wrist, resulting in substantial physical, psychological, and economic effects, there is no gold standard therapy for CTS. In this case series study, we aimed to report CTS patients treated with Carthami Semen Pharmacopuncture (CSP) and electroacupuncture (EA) showing improvements in their symptoms, and the combinatorial effects of CSP and EA. We collected medical records of CTS outpatients who received CSP and EA at Chuku Acupuncture & Moxibustion Korean Medicine Clinic from August 2017 to September 2018. The outcome measures were the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, paresthesia, the Korean version of the Boston carpal tunnel questionnaire (K-BCTQ) score, and changes in nocturnal pain, Tinel sign, and Phalen's test. We included patient satisfaction at the completion of all treatments. 17 patients were included for this case series study. After treatment, VAS for pain decreased significantly from 50.41 ± 16.19 to 9.59 ± 9.46, VAS for paresthesia also decreased significantly from 63.50 ± 11.49 to 14.75 ± 12.97, and K-BCTQ symptom severity scale decreased from 2.48 ± 0.68 to 1.89 ± 0.70 (all p < 0.001). Nocturnal pain, Tinel signs, and Phalen's test showed improvements after all the treatments. All the patients reported favorable overall satisfaction with the treatments, and 69.23% wanted future pharmacopuncture treatments if CTS recurred. No complications were detected. The combination of CSP and EA could be an effective and safe option in treating CTS.

• 한국한의학연구원논문집
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• 제13권2호통권20호
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• pp.149-155
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• 2007

Objective : Using a spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of essential hypertension, this study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) could reduce early stage hypertension by examining whether EA increased nitric oxide (NO) levels in plasma, which compensates for elevated blood pressure (BP). Methods : EA was applied to the acupoint, Baekhoe (GV20), and to a non acupoint in the tail at 10 Hz and an intensity of 1 mA for 10 minutes on the first and fourth day of the week for three weeks under isoflurane anesthesia. In conscious SHR and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, blood pressure was determined the day after EA treatment by the tail cuff method using an automatic BP monitoring system. We also measured NO concentration of blood serum in SHR and WKY. Results : Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were lower after 3 weeks of GV20 treatment than in non EA treated or non acupoint treated SHR rats. The NO level of plasma was significantly lower in hypertensive SHR than in normotensive WKY. EA prevented the augmentation of blood pressure, and also increased NO concentrations from $7.91{\pm}0.42$ ${\mu}M$ to $11.50{\pm}0.93$ ${\mu}M$ in SHR serum. Conclusions : We suggest that acupuncture may be an early intervention to delay the development of hypertension and enhance NO/NOS activity.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.17-28
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• 1998

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of different stimulation-duration of high frequency electroacupuncturet(EA) treatment on the neuronal activities in the spinal cord and brainstem using Fos immunohistochemical technique. Three different stimulus-duration was used in this experiment : 30minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours. The summerized results were summerized as follow : 1. The number of Fos expression was significantly increased in the spinal cord dorsal horn depending upon the increase of stimulus-duration (P<0.05). Otherwise, there was no significant difference between 30 minutes EA treated group and anesthetic control. 2. High frequency EA biphasic stimulation significantly enhanced the Fos expression in the DR, middle and rostral portion of PAG LD, and caudal PAG LV after 1 hour and 2 hours treatment. The number of Fos immunoreactive neuron in the brainstem was increased accorcting to the length of stimulus-duration. Those results indicate that at least 1 hour EA treatment was necessary to increase the neuronal activities in the spinal cord and brainstem. Those basic data from this study can be applied to establish the effective treatment of EA for pain control in the clinical field.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.179-193
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• 2007

Objectives: It has been demonstrated that acupuncture treats diseases while that the widespread use of that clinically and experimentally. It also has shown that electro-acupuncture(EA) is more effective than manual-acupuncture (MA). The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of EA and MA at combined acupoints on sex and age in rats. Methods: This study measured the effects of acupuncture treatment on small intestinal motility in rats. MA and EA(intensity, 5 times muscle twitch threshold) was applied for 30 minutes to the combined left and right sides acupoints on ST36, ST37, ST39 under enflurane anesthesia. EA and MA applied to the ST36, ST37, ST39 acupoints produced an elevation of small intestinal motility. Results: In experimental groups of combined left and right sides acupoints, only specified groups show elevation of small intestinal motility in male rats, 5 weeks age. Furthermore, combined left and right sides acupoints in EA and MA show differences effects according to the sex, male and female, and the age as 5, 6, 7, 8 weeks. Conclusion : Although these different according to the sex and age in rats do not have a established tendency, the present study suggest that effect of EA and MA are experimentally dependent upon the sex and age on small intestinal motility in rats.