Abstract

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the analgesic effects of Taxus cuspidata pharmacopuncture(TCP) at KI03 on formalin-induced pain in rats and to evaluate the efficiency of different extraction methods of Taxus cuspidata(TC). Methods : 30 rats were divided into 5 groups, each consisting of 6 rats. Each of the groups was treated two times. The first treatment for its right KI03 was as follows: rats were treated with normal saline(NOR), normal saline(CON), hot-water extraction of TC(W), ethanol extraction of TC(E), and ultrasonification extraction of TC(U). The second treatment was given 35 mins after the first one. Rats in NOR were treated with normal saline at their hind-paw. All groups, except NOR, were treated with formalin(5 %, 40 ㎕) at their hind-paw. To evaluate pain behavior, Ultrasonic vocalization(USV) was examined to be around 18~30 kHz. After analysis of USV, blood samples were taken from the rats for analysis of Substance P, aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT). Results : In the experimental groups, USV was significantly decreased compared with CON and similar to that of NOR in the early phase. But there were no significant differences among the three extraction methods of TC. In addition, Substance P of W was significantly decreased. AST and ALT activation showed no significant differences among the 5 groups. Conclusion : These results show that regardless of extraction methods of TC, TCP at KI03 has analgesic effects in the early phase on formalin-induced pain in rats. In particular, hot-water extraction of TC significantly reduces Substance P activation.

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