Table 5.
Original investigations of acupuncture therapy effects in alcohol-dependent subjects
| Publication year; first author | Objectives | Subjects | Stimulated acupoints (acupuncture type, acupoints, frequency) | Assessments | Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Yoshimoto [86] | To investigate the effect of EA on changes in alcohol-drinking behavior in rats challenged with restriction and immobilization stress | 8–12 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 1 Hz and 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST 36) and Shenshu (BL 23) for 10 min, twice a week for 1–3 weeks | Time-access alcohol-drinking behavior, brain dopamine (DA) level | Acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) was more effective for reducing the increased alcohol-drinking behavior |
| 2002 | Bullock [16] | To report the clinical data on the efficacy of acupuncture for alcohol dependence | 503 Alcoholics | AA at Shenmen (HT7), lung, sympathetic, and liver for 40 min, 6 days a week for 3 weeks | Alcohol use, depression, anxiety, functional status, and preference for therapy | acupuncture was not found to be effective in reduction of alcohol use alone |
| 2002 | Karst [39] | To investigate the acupuncture effects on alcohol withdrawal therapy with carbamazepine | 34 Alcoholics | AA at Sympathetic, Shenmen (HT7), kidney, liver, lung, Baihui (GV20), extra1, and He Gu (Li4), daily for 10 days | Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA-Ar-scale) | Acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment to carbamazepine medication shows promise for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal symptoms |
| 2003 | Trumpler [74] | To compare auricular laser and needle acupuncture with sham laser stimulation in reducing the duration of alcohol withdrawal | 48 alcoholics undergoing alcohol withdrawal with clomethiazole n = 17 laser, n = 15 needle | AA (2-10 out of 24 points) for 30-45 min, laser AA at 24 pints (1 min for each point), 3-4 days | The duration of withdrawal symptoms (nurse-rated scale), duration of sedative prescription | Acupuncture showed no relevant benefit for alcohol withdrawal |
| 2004 | Zalewska-Kaszubska [87] | To intensify AA method by additional biostimulation of the whole organism | 53 Alcoholics under daily helium–neon laser for neck biostimulation | Laser AA at concha points for 4 periods of ten times applied every 2nd day | The Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS), beta-endorphin plasma concentration by using the radioimmunoassay (RIA) | laser therapy was useful as an adjunct treatment for alcoholism |
| 2005 | Kim [40] | To investigate the effects of acupuncture on alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) and Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) in the striatum and the nucleus accumbens (NAC) of rats | 24 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | Acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) for 3 days | Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) and Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) in the striatum and the nucleus accumbens (NAC) | acupuncture was useful in the treatment of alcoholism by modulating post-synaptic neural activation in the striatum and NAC |
| 2006 | Yoshimoto [85] | To investigate the neuropharmacological mechanisms of oriental acupuncture | 24 Male Sprague–Dawley rats, n = 16 acupuncture | unilateral or bilateral acupuncture at Shenshu (BU23) acupoint, 60 min | Dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) contents of the microdialysates in the ACC | Acupuncture was effective for treatment of emotional disorders and laconism by increasing and prolonging the activity of serotonergic neurons |
| 2006 | Zhao [89] | To investigate the effects of acupuncture on chronic ethanol-induced changes in extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell | 35 Male Sprague–Dawley rats, n = 21 sham or real acupuncture | Bilateral acupuncture at Shenmen (HT7) point or Neiguan (PC6) or tail) for 1 min | Extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell (using in vivo microdialysis in unanesthetized rats) | Acupuncture at HT7 was effective to normalize the release of dopamine in the mesolimbic system following chronic ethanol treatment |
| 2007 | Kunz [43] | To compare auricular needle acupuncture with aromatherapy in reducing the duration and severity of symptoms of alcohol withdrawal with carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, and benzodiazepines | 74 alcoholics, n = 36 acupuncture, n = 38 aromatherapy | AA at 5 NADA points, 45 min for 5 days | Alcohol-withdrawal syndrome (AWS scale), subjective visual analog scale of craving and the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) | acupuncture was not more effective than the control therapy on alcohol withdrawal symptoms |
| 2008 | Overstreet [64] | To investigate the EA effects for reducing voluntary alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring rats | 18 inbred alcohol-preferring P rats (IP), n = 9 EA | 2 and 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) for 30 min | Alcohol intake | Acupuncture affected on alcohol intake in the alcohol-dependent IP rats |
| 2009 | Dos Santos [28] | To investigate the effects of EA over locomotor sensitization induced by ethanol in mice | 12 Male Swiss mice | 2 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and/or Neiguan (PC6) for 10 min | The locomotor activity, the expression of homer1A mRNA assessed by PCR | EA modulated homer1A expression and glutamatergic plasticity |
| 2010 | Yang [82] | To evaluate the effects of HT7 acupuncture on VTA GABA neuron excitability, ethanol inhibition of VTA GABA neuron firing rate, and ethanol self-administration | 32 Male Wistar rats | 2 Hz EA at Shenmen (HT7) or Neiguan (PC6) for 1 min | Ethanol-Reinforced Responding, VTA GABA Neuron Activity, VTA GABA Neuron Firing Rate | acupuncture reduced ethanol suppression of VTA GABA neuron firing rate, and reduced ethanol self-administration without affecting sucrose consumption |
| 2011 | Li [50] | To demonstrate that SD rats escalated their ethanol intake and subsequently developed ethanol dependence under the IE procedure | 26 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 and 100 HZ EA at Zusanli (ST36) for 20 min | Intake of and preference for ethanol | EA treatments decreased the intake of and preference for ethanol, without resulting in a rebound increase in ethanol intake when the EA treatments were terminated |
| 2012 | Li [49] | To test the hypothesis that EA suppression on alcohol consumption may be mediated by transcription factors, such as FosB/ΔFosB protein in reward-related brain regions | 33 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 and 100 HZ EA at Zusanli (ST36), 30 min for 6 days | The expression of FosB/ΔFosB in several reward-related brain regions using immunohistochemistry | EA treatment effectively reduced ethanol consumption and preference in rats by down-regulation of FosB/ΔFosB in reward-related brain regions |
| 2012 | Escosteguy-Neto [29] | To investigate EA effects during ethanol withdrawal on CB1R immunoreactivity | 12 Male Swiss mice | 2 and 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36)/Neiguan (PC6) or Dazhui (DU14)/Baihui (DU20), 10 min for 4 days | CB1R in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus, amygdala and ventral tegmental area | EA inhibited CB1R upregulation which depended on acupoints association and frequency of stimulation |
| 2012 | Fallopa [30] | To investigate whether EA reverses locomotor sensitization induced by ethanol is parallel to ERK signaling | 12 Male Swiss mice | 2 and 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36)/Neiguan (PC6) or Dazhui (DU14)/Baihui (DU20), 10 min for 4 days | pERK immune-histochemistry | EA increased CB1R in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus, amygdala and ventral tegmental area |
Acupoints in NADA protocol are located at (sympathetic: in the deltoid fossa at the junction of the infra-antihelix crus and the medial order of the helix, lung: in the center of the cavum concha, liver: located in the posterior to upper portion of the helix crus, kidney: in the cleft between the upper plateau, and the helix)