Table 6.
Original investigations of acupuncture therapy effects in morphine-dependent subjects
| Publication year; first author | Objectives | Subjects | Stimulated acupoints (acupuncture type, acupoints, frequency) | Assessments | Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Wang [75] | To observe the effect of peripheral electric stimulation (PES) on morphine-induced Conditioned place preference CPP | 57/82 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 and 100 Hz PES at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) for 30 min | Conditioned place preference | 2 Hz PES could specifically inhibit the expression of morphine-induced CPP |
| 2003 | Shi [70] | To examine the effect of 100 Hz peripheral electric stimulation (PES) on the expression of morphine-induced CPP | 48 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 100 Hz PES at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min a day for 3 days | Conditioned place preference | Repeated 100 Hz PES had anti-craving effects by activating supra-segmental δ- and κ-opioid receptors |
| 2004 | Shi [71] | To elucidate if preproenkephalin (PPE) and preprodynorphin (PPD) mRNAs in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) play a role in PES suppressing morphine-induced CPP | 48 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 and 100 Hz PES at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min a day for 3 days | Conditioned place preference | PES suppressed both the expression of morphine-induced CPP and the reinstatement of extinguished CPP |
| 2004 | Cui [27] | To investigate the effect of EA on the sexual behavior of male rats undergoing morphine withdrawal | 41 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 and 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min a day for 7 days | Total serum testosterone (TST) concentrations | EA facilitated the recovery of male sexual behavior and increased TST concentrations |
| 2005 | Kim [41] | To investigate the effect of acupuncture on repeated morphine-induced changes in extracellular dopamine levels | 31 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | Acupuncture at Shenmen (HT7) for 1 min | Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and behavioral hyperactivity | Acupuncture decreased both dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and behavioral hyperactivity |
| 2005 | Liu [54] | To evaluate the effect of EA on morphine withdrawal signs and c-Fos expression of the amygdala | 21 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 100 Hz EA at Shenshu (BL23) for 30 min | Corticosterone levels and behavioral responses during EA stimulation | EA significantly reduced the signs of morphine withdrawal |
| 2008 | Chu [25] | To observe the effect of EA on chronic morphine-induced neuronal morphological changes in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) | 12 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 and 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min for 3 days | The rough endoplasmic reticulum, membrane configuration of the nucleus and mitochondria, and structure of myelin sheath | EA reversed the morphological alterations induced by chronic morphine administration |
| 2009 | Hu [34] | To examine alterations in the firing rate of Dopamine neurons in 100 Hz EA treatment | 40 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min for 10 days | Conditioned place preference | EA was effective for the treatment of opiate addiction by normalizing the activity of VTA DA neurons |
| 2010 | Liang [53] | To find the Role of enkephalin in the nucleus accumbens mediating the effects of EA | 218 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min for 1-3 days | Conditioned place preference | EA up-regulated the mRNA level of preproenkephalin in the NAc |
| 2010 | Lee [45] | To investigate the effect of acupuncture on morphine-induced behavioral sensitization and the neuronal changes in NAc and striatum | 14 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | Acupuncture at Shenmen (HT7), 1 min for 3 days | Morphine-induced changes of locomotor activity and Fos expression | acupuncture suppressed the morphine-induced increases in the locomotor activity and Fos expression in the NAc and striatum |
| 2011 | Li [48] | To observe whether EA could modulate the immune status of morphine dependence and withdrawal mice | 40 Male BALB/c mice | 2 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min for 5 days | Splenic T Lymphocyte Proliferation, IL-2 Production, CD4+/CD8+ Ratio | EA raised IL-2 and normalized chronic morphine exposure-induced immune dysfunctions |
| 2011 | Li [51] | To investigate the effect of 2 and 100 Hz EA of the sleep disturbance during morphine withdrawal | 15 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 and 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), 30 min twice a day for 3 days | Electroencephalogram and electromyogram | EA decreased NREM/REM and total sleep time, while the sleep latency prolonged significantly during acute morphine withdrawal |
| 2011 | Wang [76] | To find the optimum protocol for EA effective for alleviating withdrawal syndrome | 40 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) for 30 min | Conditioned place preference | EA down-regulated of p-CREB and accelerated of dynorphin synthesis in spinal cord |
| 2011 | Xia [81] | To investigate whether EA by itself will produce some rewarding effect | 44 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | 2 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) for 30 min | Conditioned place preference | EA was capable of inducing CPP in the rat via the activation of the endogenous opioid-, cannabinoid- and dopamine-systems |
| 2012 | Lee [47] | To investigate the role of acupuncture in the reinstatement of morphine seeking | 15 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | Acupuncture, Yanggu (SI5) or Yangxi (LI5) for 1 min | Morphine reinstatement | acupuncture attenuated the reinstatement of morphine seeking behavior by blocking the GABA receptor antagonists |
| 2013 | Lee [46] | To investigate whether acupuncture could suppress the reinstatement of morphine-seeking behavior | 28 Male Sprague–Dawley rats | Acupuncture, Yanggu (SI5) or Yangxi (LI5) or Zusanli (ST36) for 1 min | Morphine-seeking behavior | acupuncture suppressed morphine injection perfectly |
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)