Acupuncture and laserpuncture as a therapeutic approach for nociception and inflammation: An experimental study in mice

Abstract

Inflammation and pain are consequences of injuries or diseases that affect a large number of people. This study aims to evaluate the effect of acupuncture and laserpuncture on nociception and inflammation in mice compared to the effects of morphine and dexamethasone. 140 male Swiss mice were used. Treatment with acupuncture and laserpuncture were performed at the acupoints LI11, ST36, GB34, and BL60 in mice. To evaluate the effect of acupuncture and laserpuncture on nociception, the hot plate test and intraplantar formalin injection were used. The effect of acupuncture and laserpuncture on the inflammation was evaluated through carrageenan-induced paw edema. Thermographic analysis was also applied to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects. An antinociceptive effect (≈57%) was observed in treatments with acupuncture and laserpuncture, equivalent to the effect of morphine. Laserpuncture and acupuncture decreased paw edema by ≈25%. Acupuncture had an effect equivalent to dexamethason, basides reducing the neurogenic phase by 35% and the inflammatory phase in formalin-induced nociception by 40%, equivalent to the effects of morphine. In thermographic analysis, acupuncture, laserpuncture, morphine, and negative control had paw temperature of ≈27 °C, while formalin treatment was 31°C. Acupuncture and laserpuncture proved to be effective therapies for the treatment of inflammatory and painful processes.

Key words
acupuncture; inflammation; laserpuncture; mice; pain