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- Title
Activation of amygdala opioid receptors by electroacupuncture of Feng-Chi (GB20) acupoints exacerbates focal epilepsy.
- Authors
Pei-Lu Yi; Chin-Yu Lu; Chiung-Hsiang Cheng; Yi-Fong Tsai; Chung-Tien Lin; Fang-Chia Chang
- Abstract
Background: The effect of seizure suppression by acupuncture of Feng-Chi (GB20) acupoints has been documented in the ancient Chinese literature, Lingshu Jing (Classic of the Miraculous Pivot), however, there is a lack of scientific evidence to prove it. This current study was designed to elucidate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of bilateral Feng-Chi (GB20) acupoints on the epileptic activity by employing an animal model of focal epilepsy. Methods: Administration of pilocarpine into the left central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) induced the focal epilepsy in rats. Rats received a 30-min 100 Hz EA stimulation of bilateral Feng-Chi acupoints per day, beginning at 30 minutes before the dark period and performing in three consecutive days. The broad-spectrum opioid receptor antagonist (naloxone), μ-receptor antagonist (naloxonazine), δ-receptor antagonist (naltrindole) and κ-receptor antagonist (norbinaltorphimine) were administered directly into the CeA to elucidate the involvement of CeA opioid receptors in the EA effect. Results: High-frequency (100 Hz) EA stimulation of bilateral Feng-Chi acupoints did not suppress the pilocarpine-induced epileptiform electroencephalograms (EEGs), whereas it further increased the duration of epileptiform EEGs. We also observed that epilepsy occurred while 100 Hz EA stimulation of Feng-Chi acupoints was delivered into naïve rats. EA-induced augmentation of epileptic activity was blocked by microinjection of naloxone, μ- (naloxonazine), κ- (norbinaltorphimine) or δ-receptor antagonists (natrindole) into the CeA, suggesting that activation of opioid receptors in the CeA mediates EA-exacerbated epilepsy. Conclusions: The present study suggests that high-frequency (100 Hz) EA stimulation of bilateral Feng- Chi acupoints has no effect to protect against pilocarpine-induced focal epilepsy; in contrast, EA further exacerbated focal epilepsy induced by pilocarpine. Opioid receptors in the CeA mediated EA-induced exacerbation of focal epilepsy.
- Subjects
TREATMENT of epilepsy; ACUPUNCTURE points; ANIMAL experimentation; BASAL ganglia; CELL receptors; ELECTROACUPUNCTURE; ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY; EPILEPSY; NARCOTICS; PILOCARPINE; RATS; RESEARCH funding; T-test (Statistics); DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics
- Publication
BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 2013, Vol 13, Issue 1, p290
- ISSN
1472-6882
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/1472-6882-13-290