Effects of Electroacupuncture on Expression of COX-2 in the Dorsal Horn of Spinal Cord of Arthritic Rats
- Author:
Hong XU
;
Yanqing WANG
;
Jun WANG
;
Jin YU
;
Gencheng WU
;
Zhongchun ZHU
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Electroacupuncture;
Complete Freund's Adjuvant,Arthritis;
Spinal Dorsal Horn;
Cyclooxygenase-2
- From:
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science
2006;4(5):264-266
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: The present study was to observe the expression of COX-2 protein in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in rats with chronic inflammatory pain to investigate whether COX-2 is involved in the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia. Methods: After EA treatment, the pain score and expression of COX-2 protein in the dorsal horn of spinal cord in rats with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis were measured by the behavioral test and immunohistochemistry technique, and compared with those of the normal group, model group and medicine group. Results: EA could decrease the pain score significantly and repeated EA treatments had the remarkable cumulative analgesic effect; and with the increase in EA treatments, the number of COX-2 immunoreactive cells was obviously decreased. Conclusion:EA at acupoints Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Kunlun (BL 60) had remarkable analgesic effect on adjuvant arthritis rats; and in the meantime, could inhibit the expression of COX-2 protein in the dorsal horn of spinal cord.
