Effect of electroacupuncture on pain threshold and spinal NR2B subunit expression in a rat model of neuropathic pain

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on pain threshold and spinal NR2B subunit expression in a rat model of neuropathic pain due to chronic compression injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and explore the analgesic mechanism of EA. Male SD rats weighing 200-280 g were randomly divided into...

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Published inNan fang yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of Southern Medical University Vol. 30; no. 12; p. 2702
Main Authors Zhou, Guo-bin, Ma, Wei-tao, Yu, Wei, Guo, Ai-lin, Ji, Jin-quan
Format Journal Article
LanguageChinese
Published China 01.12.2010
Subjects
Animals
Electroacupuncture
Male
Neuralgia - metabolism
Neuralgia - pathology
Neuralgia - therapy
Pain Threshold
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - metabolism
Spinal Cord - metabolism
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Summary:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on pain threshold and spinal NR2B subunit expression in a rat model of neuropathic pain due to chronic compression injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and explore the analgesic mechanism of EA. Male SD rats weighing 200-280 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10), namely the sham-operated group, CCI group, EA+CCI group, and sham EA+CCI group. All the rats underwent tests of the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal threshold. On day 13 after the surgery, all the rats were decapitated to collect the L4-6 segments of the spinal cord to examine NR2B expression using Western blotting. The postoperative mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal threshold were significantly lowered in CCI, EA+CCI and sham EA+CCI groups as compared to those before the surgery (P<0.05). EA obviously alleviated the hypersensitivity in the rats with CCI and inhibited spinal NR2B expressions (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in the mechanical withdrawal threshold,
ISSN:1673-4254