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. 2021 Jan 18;2021:8881557. doi: 10.1155/2021/8881557

Table 1.

Central sensitization regulatory mechanism of acupuncture analgesia.

Refs. Pain model Intervention methods Acupoints Acupuncture parameter Pain-related behavior Test site Biochemical measurements
4.1 Acupuncture inhibits the ascending excitatory pathway
Zhao et al. [42] CCI EA ST36, SP6 2 Hz, 2 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord NR2B↓
Lee et al. [43] CFA EA ST36, SP6 2 Hz, 1 mA for 30 mins Thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord Phospho-GluR2↓
Han et al. [44] CFA EA ST36, SP6 2-15 Hz, 1 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord GluR2 phosphorylation↓
Kim et al. [45] CFA EA ST36, SP6 2 Hz, 1 mA for 30 mins Thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord GFAP↓, GLAST↑, GLT-1↑
Zeng et al. [46] SNI EA ST36, SP6 2 Hz, 3 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord GLAST↑, GLT-1↑
Zhou et al. [47] CFA EA ST36, BL60 Alternative 2 Hz/120 Hz, 1-2 mA for 30 mins — Spinal cord Calcium voltage-gated channel subunit ↓, calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit gamma↓
4.2 Acupuncture regulates the descending pain modulatory system
Hu et al. [48] CFA EA ST36, BL60 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1-2 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia RVM p38MAPK↓
Yuan et al. [49] KOA EA Ex-LE4, ST35 2 Hz, 15 Hz or 100 Hz, 1 mA/0.1 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia vlPAG Endocannabinoid-CB1R-GABA-5-HT↑
Li et al. [50] Hyperalgesia during ethanol withdrawal EA ST36 2 Hz, 0.2-03 mA for 20 mins Thermal hyperalgesia Habenula MORs↑
Meng et al. [51] Paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain EA GB30 10 Hz, 2 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord μ and δ opioid receptor↑
Huang et al. [52] CCI EA GV20, GV14 15 Hz, 1 mA for 20 mins Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia PAG GABAA↑, GABA↑, GLU↓
Jiang et al. [53] CCI EA EX-B2 2/15 Hz, 2 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord GABAA↑
Li et al. [54] CCI EA ST36, GB34 Alternative 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1.5 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord KCC2↑, GABAA receptor γ2↑
Choi et al. [55] PTX-induced neuropathic pain EA ST36 2 Hz, 2 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord alpha2- and beta-adrenoceptors↑
Choi et al. [56] PTX-induced neuropathic pain BVA LI11, ST36 — Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord α2-adrenoceptor↑
Kim et al. [57] Ankle sprain pain EA SI6 10 Hz, 2 mA for 30 mins Weight-bearing force on the affected foot Spinal cord α2-adrenoceptor↑
Zhang et al. [58] CFA EA GB30 10 Hz, 3 mA for 40 mins Thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord α2-ARs↑, 5-HTRs↑
da Silva et al. [59] Uninjured rats EA ST36, SP6 2, 100, or 2/100 Hz, 1.4-1.5 mA for 20 mins Thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord Norepinephrine, acetylcholine, endogenous opioids, or GABA
Wu et al. [60] Pain-depression dyad EA ST36, SP6 100 Hz, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mA, each for 15 min Mechanical allodynia Dorsal raphe nucleus 5-HT↑
Zhang et al. [61] CFA EA GB30 10 Hz, 3 mA, twice for 20 min each Thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord 5-HT↑, 5-HT1AR↑
Zhang et al. [62] CIP EA GB30 10 Hz, 2 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord 5-HT1AR↑, p-CaMKII↓
Li et al. [63] Osteoarthritis-induced pain EA ST36, GB30 10 Hz, 2 mA for 30 mins Weight-bearing force on the affected foot Spinal cord 5-HT2A/2C↑
4.3 Role of the tripartite synapse in acupuncture analgesia
Liang et al. [64] SNL EA ST36, BL60 2, 100, or 2/100 Hz, 1-2 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord GFAP↓, OX-42↓
Choi et al. [65] SCI MA GV26, GB34 Turned at a rate of 2 spins per second for 30 s, and retained for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord p38MAPK↓, ERK↓, PGE2↓
Lee et al. [66] SCI MA GV26, GB34 Turned at a rate of two spins per second for 30 s, retained for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord JNK↓, CCL2↓, CCL4↓, and CCL20↓
Wang et al. [67] CCI EA ST36, GB34 Alternative 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1 mA for 30 mins — Spinal cord IL-1𝛽↓, TNF-α↓, BDNF↓, NT3/4↓, NGF↓
Yu et al. [68] CFA EA ST36, SP6 Alternative 2 Hz/100 Hz, 2 mA for 20 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord IL-10↑, IL-1β↓, NLRP3↓, TNF-α↓
Dai et al. [69] Paw incision pain EA SP6, GB34 Alternative 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1-2-3 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord IL-10↑, LTP↓
Ali et al. [70] SNL EA ST36, SP6 2 Hz, 2-3 mA for 20 mins Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord IL-10↑, β-endorphin↑
Zhao et al. [71] PTX-induced neuropathic pain EA ST36 10 Hz, 1 mA for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia Spinal cord TMEM119↓, GFAP↓, TLR-4/NF-κb↓, TNF-α, and IL-1β↓
Hsu et al. [72] CFA EA ST36 2 Hz, 1 mA for 15 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord/thalamus TLR2↓, pPI3K↓, pAkt↓, pmTOR↓, pERK↓, pp38↓, pJNK↓, pCREB↓, pNFκB↓, Nav1.7↓, Nav1.8↓
4.4 Role of chemokines and their receptors in acupuncture analgesia
Gao et al. [73] Neck-incision pain EA LI18, LI4, PC6, or ST36, GB34 Alternative 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1 mA, 30 mins Thermal pain Spinal cord ATP↓, P2X7R↓, CX3CL1↓, CX3CR1↓, p38 MAPK proteins↓
Li et al. [74] CFA EA ST36 2 Hz for 30 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia Spinal cord CX3CL1↓, p38 MAPK phosphorylation↓, IL-1↓, IL-6↓, and TNF-α↓
Li et al. [75] Paw incision pain ACA GB34, SP6 Alternative 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1, 2, 3 mA per 10 mins Mechanical allodynia, thermal pain Spinal cord CX3CR signaling
Hu et al. [76] CPIP EA ST36, BL60 Alternative 2 Hz/100 Hz, 0.5-1.5 mA, 30 mins Mechanical hyperalgesia Spinal cord CXCL12/CXCR4↓, ERK↓

ACA: acupuncture-combined anesthesia; BVA: bee venom acupuncture; CCI: chronic constriction injury; CFA: complete Freund's adjuvant; CIP: chemotherapy-induced pain; CPIP: chronic postischemic pain; EA: electroacupuncture; MA: manual acupuncture; SNL: spinal nerve ligation; SCI: spinal cord injury; TENS: transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation; RVM: rostral ventromedial medulla; PAG: periaqueductal gray; vlPAG: ventral lateral periaqueductal gray.