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Copyright © 2018 Siao-Wei Jiang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (the “License”), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Abstract

Chronic constriction injury- (CCI-) induced neuropathic pain is the most similar model to hyperalgesia in clinical observation. Neuropathic pain is a neuronal dysfunction in the somatosensory system that may lead to spontaneous pain. In this study, electroacupuncture (EA) was applied at bilateral L4 and L6 of Hua Tuo Jia Ji points (EX-B2) for relieving neuropathic pain in rats. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups: sham, 2-Hz EA, and 15-Hz EA groups. Following von Frey and cold plate tests, both the 2- and the 15-Hz EA groups had significantly lower mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia than the sham group. Western blot analysis results showed that γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA), adenosine A1 receptor (A1R), transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1), TRPV4, and metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (mGluR3) were similar in the dorsal root ganglion of all three groups. Furthermore, levels of GABAA receptors were higher in the spinal cord of rats in the 2- and 15-Hz EA groups compared with the sham control group. This was not observed for A1R, TRPV1, TRPV4, or mGluR3 receptors. In addition, all the aforementioned receptors were unchanged in the somatosensory cortex of the study rats, suggesting a central spinal effect. The study results provide evidence to support the clinical use of EA for specifically alleviating neuropathic pain.

Details

Title
Electroacupuncture at Hua Tuo Jia Ji Acupoints Reduced Neuropathic Pain and Increased GABAA Receptors in Rat Spinal Cord
Author
Siao-Wei Jiang 1 ; Yi-Wen, Lin 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ching-Liang, Hsieh 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Master’s Program for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan 
 Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan 
 Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan 
Editor
Alfredo Vannacci
Publication year
2018
Publication date
2018
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISSN
1741427X
e-ISSN
17414288
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2070119096
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 Siao-Wei Jiang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (the “License”), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/