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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomechanics
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1502535

Influence of acupuncture intensity on analgesic effects in AA rat models

Provisionally accepted
Yi-Xuan Wang Yi-Xuan Wang 1Yu-Hang Liu Yu-Hang Liu 1*Zi-Liang Zhang Zi-Liang Zhang 1*Xuan Qiao Xuan Qiao 1*Ying-Chen Li Ying-Chen Li 1*Liu-Jie Ren Liu-Jie Ren 2Guang-Hong Ding Guang-Hong Ding 1*Wei Yao Wei Yao 1*Yi Yu Yi Yu 3*
  • 1 Fudan University, Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
  • 2 Eye and Ent Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
  • 3 Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: To investigate the influence of acupuncture lifting-thrusting frequency and amplitude on the analgesic effects, and its correlation with mast cell degranulation. Methods: Acute adjuvant arthritis (AA) rat models were employed. Robot-arm aided lifting-thrusting acupuncture therapy was conducted with various frequencies (ranging from 0.5 to 4 Hz) and amplitudes (ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 mm). The rats’ pain thresholds were measured multiple times before and after the therapy, and the analgesic effects were evaluated using the pain threshold recovery rate (PTRR), a normalized index. The mast cell degranulation rate (MCdR) at the acupoint was calculated, and a correlation analysis between PTRR and MCdR was performed. Results: Acupuncture therapy partially restored the pain threshold affected by arthritis. The analgesic effects were influenced by stimulus frequency and amplitude, with best outcomes occurring at an intermediate optimal frequency of 1.0 Hz and amplitude of 1.0~1.5 mm. Similarly, the MCdR peaked at the optimal frequency and amplitude. Conclusion: Our animal experiment suggests that optimal analgesic effects can be achieved with stimulation at an optimal intensity. This intensity-effect correlation appears to originate from mast cell activation rates under different mechanical stimulus.

    Keywords: acupuncture intensity, Analgesia, mast cell, Adjuvant Arthritis, Robot Arm

    Received: 27 Sep 2024; Accepted: 26 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Wang, Liu, Zhang, Qiao, Li, Ren, Ding, Yao and Yu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yu-Hang Liu, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Zi-Liang Zhang, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Xuan Qiao, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Ying-Chen Li, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Guang-Hong Ding, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Wei Yao, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Yi Yu, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China

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