Figure 8.

Effects of acupuncture and the influences of mast cells, the A1 receptor and the H1 receptor on β-endorphin in the cerebrospinal fluid of animals. ELISA analysis was used to measure the concentrations of β-endorphin in the cerebrospinal fluid of rats. The Control and Model groups were the blank control and the AA model control, respectively. For the ACU group, acupuncture was performed at ST36 for 20 min. For the H1R group, an H1 agonist solution was locally injected at the acupoint. For the CPM + ACU group, the H1 receptor antagonist was locally injected at the acupoint 5 min before acupuncture. For the A1R group, CCPA solution was injected locally at the acupoint. For the CRO + A1R group, sodium cromolyn was injected locally at the acupoint 5 min before the injection of CCPA. For the CRO + ACU group, sodium cromolyn solution was injected at the acupoint 5 min before the acupuncture. For the CRO + A1R group, sodium cromolyn solution was injected at the acupoint 5 min before the injection of the CCPA solution. The EDP concentration in the model group was found to be significantly lower than that of the blank control group. Acupuncture was shown to elevate the EDP concentration, whereas sodium cromolyn or the H1 receptor antagonist was shown to inhibit such an effect. Direct activation of the H1 receptor was shown to increase the EDP concentration. Activation of the A1 receptor was shown to increase the EDP concentration, whereas sodium cromolyn did not demonstrate the ability to inhibit such an effect. *vs Model P < 0.05; **vs Model P < 0.01; # vs ACU P < 0.05.