Abstract
Over the past several decades, clinical studies have shown significant analgesic effects of acupuncture. The efficacy of acupuncture treatment has improved with the recent development of nanoporous needles (PN), which are produced by modifying the needle surface using nanotechnology. Herein, we showed that PN at acupoint ST36 produces prolonged analgesic effects in an inflammatory pain model; the analgesic effects of PN acupuncture were sustained over 2 h, while those using a conventional needle (CN) lasted only 30 min. In addition, the PN showed greater therapeutic effects than CN after 10 acupuncture treatments once per day for 10 days. We explored how the porous surface of the PN contributes to changes in local tissue, which may in turn result in enhanced analgesic effects. We showed that the PN has greater rotational torque and pulling force than the CN, particularly at acupoints ST36 and LI11, situated on thick muscle layers. Additionally, in ex vivo experiments, the PN showed greater winding of subcutaneous connective tissues and muscle layers. Our results suggest that local mechanical forces are augmented by the PN and its nanoporous surface, contributing to the enhanced and prolonged analgesic effects of PN acupuncture.
Highlights
Acupuncture treatment has been used as a therapeutic modality in East Asia since 6000 BC, starting with a sharpened stone and progressing to stainless steel needles (White and Ernst, 2004; Wang et al, 2008)
We (i) analyzed various aspects of PNs and conventional needle (CN) on four different acupoints by measuring the pullout force and rotational torque using an Acusensor; (ii) compared the morphological deformation of local tissues induced by PN and CN acupuncture; and (iii) investigated changes in therapeutic effects induced by PN acupuncture by assessing the analgesic effects in an inflammatory pain model
We investigated the local impact and morphological changes caused by PN acupuncture and measured the difference in analgesic effects between PN and CN acupuncture
Summary
Acupuncture treatment has been used as a therapeutic modality in East Asia since 6000 BC, starting with a sharpened stone and progressing to stainless steel needles (White and Ernst, 2004; Wang et al, 2008). Other than the electrical conductivity (Not understood; how is porosity related to electrical conductivity?), the micro/nanoporous surface of PN has different physical characteristics that affect the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture treatment. No studies have explored the physical impact of PN acupuncture, including the pullout force, mechanical load, and structural deformation induced by surface modification of local tissues during PN acupuncture. We (i) analyzed various aspects of PNs and CNs on four different acupoints by measuring the pullout force and rotational torque using an Acusensor; (ii) compared the morphological deformation of local tissues induced by PN and CN acupuncture; and (iii) investigated changes in therapeutic effects induced by PN acupuncture by assessing the analgesic effects in an inflammatory pain model
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