Abstract
BackgroundOsteoarthritis (OA) is an degenerative disease characterized by chronic joint pain. Complementary and alternative treatment such as acupuncture have been utilized to alleviate pain. The objective of this study was to investigate the analgesic mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) in the collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) rat model.MethodsFour weeks after inducing CIOA by injecting collagenase solution into the left knee of 5-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats, 2 Hz and 100 Hz EA on Zusanli (ST 36) was performed. The analgesic effect of EA was evaluated by the tail flick latency (TFL) and paw pressure threshold (PPT) tests. To investigate the analgesic mechanism, serotonergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonists and antagonists were injected 20 min prior to EA and the resultant changes were evaluated by the TFL and PPT tests.ResultsEA on Zusanli (ST 36) demonstrated an analgesic effect in the CIOA rat model. The 2 Hz EA treatment showed a significantly greater analgesic effect than the 100 Hz treatment. The analgesic effect of 2 Hz EA was not strengthened by 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, and muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonist pretreatment, was blocked by 5-HT1, 5-HT3, and muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonist pretreatment, but not blocked by 5-HT2 receptor antagonist pretreatment.ConclusionsIn the CIOA rat model, EA on Zusanli (ST 36) exhibited analgesic effects, and 2 Hz EA resulted in a significantly greater analgesic effect than 100 Hz EA. The analgesic effect of 2 Hz EA was reduced by pretreatment of 5-HT1 receptor, 5-HT3 receptor and muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonists.
Highlights
Osteoarthritis (OA) is an degenerative disease characterized by chronic joint pain
Our results demonstrated that both 2 Hz and 100 Hz EA showed analgesic effect, evidenced in the tail flick latency (TFL) and paw pressure threshold (PPT) tests
The analgesic effect of 2 Hz EA was blocked by the 5-HT1 and 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, but not blocked by the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist. These results suggest that the 5-HT1 and 5-HT3 receptors partially mediate the analgesia induced by 2 Hz EA in the collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) rat model
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) is an degenerative disease characterized by chronic joint pain. Complementary and alternative treatment such as acupuncture have been utilized to alleviate pain. The objective of this study was to investigate the analgesic mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) in the collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) rat model. Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent chronic joint disease at present. It is characterized by loss of articular cartilage, osteophyte formation, subchondral bone change, and synovitis [1]. OA has varying effects on the individual and on society. OA patients, especially elderly patients, experience symptoms every day, resulting in a lower quality of life. The Acupuncture has been widely used to alleviate many types of pain, chronic pain [5].
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