Concerning about the mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia_ Yi-Wen Lin

【Concerning about the mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia Professor Yi-Wen Lin】

       I am a Professor at the China Medical University. My primary research interest is Acupuncture science. My research topic is concerning about the mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia. We want to investigate the mechanisms underlying antinociceptive effect of EA at Zusanli (ST36) acupoint. We have several methods to identify novel mechanisms in acupuncture therapy such as animal behaviors, immunohistochemistry staining, western blotting, and electrophysiology. We suggest that several pain (inflammatory, fibromyalgia, neuropathic) models-induced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia was attenuated by EA. We also indicate that EA may also reduce nociceptive Nav sodium currents in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. TRPV1 and associated signaling pathways was increased in inflammatory pain and further attenuated by EA. TRPV1 and associated signaling pathways can be prevented in TRPV1 knockout mice, suggesting that TRPV1 knockout mice are resistant to inflammatory pain. Through our study, we have increased the understanding of the mechanism that EA might alter ASIC3, TRPV1 and associated signaling pathways to reduce hyperalgesia. We hope these findings could be applied in clinical study for better therapy.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Analgesia; Inflammatory pain, Fibromyalgia pain, Ion channels; Neuroscience