For the purpose of estimating the analgesic mechanisums of the electroacupuncture stimulation and relating the adrenocortical function with its analgesic effect, the deviation value of the pain threshold by the stimulation and β-endorphin, Met-enkephalin lebels in the cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] and also cortisol lebel in the blood were observed in experimented dogs.
The both lebels of CSF and cortisol lebel in blood were significantly increased by the electroacupuncture analgesia. These result suggest that in this analgesia, the hypophysis-adrenal cortex system was activated simultaneously with the production of an endogeneous opiate. Using a new designed pain meter system [non-contact thermal stimulator] for the small animals, increasing of the pain threshold lebels was observed objectively.