Kang Suk-Yun, Kwon O Sang, Moon Ji-Young, Cho Seong Jin, Choi Kwang-Ho, Kim Junbeom, Ahn Seong-Hun, Ryu Yeonhee
KM Fundamental Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea.
Department of Meridians & Acupoints, College of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017;2017:6578621. doi: 10.1155/2017/6578621. Epub 2017 May 30.
Alcoholism, which is a disabling addiction disorder, is a major public health problem worldwide. The present study was designed to determine whether the application of acupuncture at the Shenmen (HT7) point suppresses voluntary alcohol consumption in addicted rats and whether this suppressive effect is potentiated by the administration of naltrexone.
Rats were initially trained to self-administer a sucrose solution by operating a lever. A mechanical acupuncture instrument (MAI) for objective mechanical stimulation was used on rats whose baseline response had been determined. In addition, the effect of HT7 acupuncture on beta-endorphin concentration and ethanol intake via naltrexone were investigated in different groups.
We found that ethanol intake and beta-endorphin level in rats being treated with the MAI at the HT7 point reduced significantly. The treatment of naltrexone at high doses reduced the ethanol intake and low-dose injection of naltrexone in conjunction with the MAI also suppressed ethanol intake.
The results of the current study indicate that using the MAI at the HT7 point effectively reduces ethanol consumption in rats. Furthermore, the coadministration of the MAI and a low dose of naltrexone can produce some more potent reducing effect of ethanol intake than can acupuncture alone.
酒精成瘾是一种使人丧失能力的成瘾性疾病，是全球主要的公共卫生问题。本研究旨在确定针刺神门穴（HT7）是否能抑制成瘾大鼠的自愿酒精摄入量，以及纳曲酮的给药是否能增强这种抑制作用。
最初训练大鼠通过操作杠杆自行摄入蔗糖溶液。对基线反应已确定的大鼠使用用于客观机械刺激的机械针灸仪器（MAI）。此外，在不同组中研究了针刺HT7对β-内啡肽浓度和通过纳曲酮摄入乙醇的影响。
我们发现，用MAI针刺HT7穴位治疗的大鼠的乙醇摄入量和β-内啡肽水平显著降低。高剂量纳曲酮治疗可降低乙醇摄入量，低剂量纳曲酮与MAI联合注射也可抑制乙醇摄入量。
当前研究结果表明，使用MAI针刺HT7穴位可有效降低大鼠的乙醇消耗量。此外，MAI与低剂量纳曲酮联合给药比单独针刺能产生更强的降低乙醇摄入量的效果。
