Abstract
Nerve and mast cells are densely distributed around acupoints in connective tissue. To explore the internal relations between them in acupuncture effect, we examined dorsal root potential (DRP) response to acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) under sodium cromoglicate (DSCG, a mast cell stabilizer) intervention in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. We used single unit nerve recording techniques to collect nerve signals from DRP afferent nerves for a 45-minute period that includes 4 stages, that is, base, drug absorption, acupuncture, and recovery stages. We analyzed the recorded signals from time-domain and frequency-domain perspectives. The results showed that once acupuncture needle was inserted, twisting needle excited more nerves discharges than those at base discharges in ACU (from 35.1 ± 7.2 to 47 ± 9.2 Hz, P = 0.004), and there existed the same trend in Saline + ACU group (from 23.8 ± 2.6 to 29.8 ± 4.2 Hz, P = 0.059). There was no change of nerve discharges under twisting needle with injection of DSCG (from 34.8 ± 5.3 to 34.7 ± 4.4 Hz, P = 0.480). We conclude that acupuncture manipulation promotes neural signal production and DSCG could partly inhibit nerve discharges.
Highlights
Acupuncture has been used for analgesia, treating visceral function disorders, and improving motor functions [1,2,3]
Nerve discharges after different drugs injection rose from 23.8 ± 2.6 to 25.4 ± 2.6 Hz in Saline + ACU group (P = 0.008) and from 34.8 ± 5.3 to 36.1 ± 5.4 Hz in DSCG + ACU group (P = 0.036), which was consistent with changes of nerve discharges in ACU group
Once acupuncture needle was removed, nerve discharges all recovered to base level (ACU, from 39.9 ± 9.7 to 35.1 ± 7.2 Hz, P > 0.1; Saline + ACU, from 24.5 ± 3.5 to 23.8 ± 2.6 Hz, P > 0.1; DSCG + ACU, from 31.7 ± 4.7 to 34.8 ± 5.3 Hz, P > 0.1), and there were no statistical differences in the increased discharges during recovery stage among the three groups (ACU, 4.7 ± 3.5 Hz; Saline + ACU, 0.6 ± 1.5 Hz; DSCG + ACU, −2.6 ± 2.8 Hz P > 0.05)
Summary
Acupuncture has been used for analgesia, treating visceral function disorders, and improving motor functions [1,2,3]. Acupuncture activates nerve impulse and generates action potentials, leading neural signal transmission from peripheral to central nervous system. Acupuncture stimulation can induce the inhibition of mechanical hypersensitivity induced by spinal nerve ligation [4] and improve the cardiovascular response [5]. A destruction (e.g., blocking the peripheral nerve or the nerve pathway, or partial damaging the central nervous system) can largely inhibit acupuncture analgesia effect [6, 7]. Some studies showed that sciatic nerve discharges were attenuated and acupuncture analgesic effect was reduced by DSCG intervention, suggesting that mast cells at acupoints participate in the priming process of nerve signals [8, 11]. Sciatic nerve is a compound nerve and its nerve signals are bidirectional; it is difficult to explain exactly the activation mechanism of nerve signals
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