在针麻原理研究中

已证明针刺镇痛与中枢神经递质有关

其中对5-羟色胺(5-HT)能神经系统的关系更为密切。然而在针刺镇痛后对动物各脑区5-HT含量的影响

各家报道并不完全一致。已有报道在电针后可使小白鼠皮层及丘脑中5-HT含量升高

为进一步阐明针刺镇痛与中枢5-HT能神经元系统的关系

本文用荧光法测定大白鼠针刺镇痛后纹状体及脊髓中5-HT及5-羟吲哚醋酸(5-HIAA)含量的变化

同时也观察了对去甲肾上腺素(NE)及多巴胺(DA)含量的影响。兹将初步结果报道如下:It is well established that the effect of acupuncture analgesia was relevant to the transmitters of CNS

especially to the serotoninergic neuronal system in the brain However

the reports about the effect of acupuncture on the serotonin (5-HT) levels in brain areas were varied. In order to further expose the relationship between acupuncture analgesia and serotninergic neuronal system in CNS

the present study estimates the changes of 5-HT and 5-hydroindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in the striata and spinal cords in rats during acupuncture. At the same time we also observed the changes of levels of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA). Rats of either sex

weighing between 160-200g

were used. Electro- acuupuncture wes applied to the points on the upper and lower lips of rats corresponding to "Renzhong" and "Chengjing" in man respectively. The analgesia effects of electro-acupuncture were estimated the changes of pain threshlod by tial flick method. Rats were killed by decapitation

the striata and spinal cords were rapidly removed and then 5-HT

5-HIAA

NE and DA measured were immediately by means of fluorometeric method. The results were obtained as follows: 1. Elevation of pain threshold in rats after electro-acupuncture was 341.02% (N=12. P<0.001). 2. The levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in striata of rats with electroacu- puncture increased by 14.70%. (N=11

P<0.05)

41.04% (N=7

P<0.01) as compared with the control group

and those in spinal cords were 18.13% (N =11

P>0.05) and 21.70%

(N=11 P<0.05)

respectively. 3. The levels on NE in both tissues did not change significantly

while those of DA in striata

increased but there was no ststistical significance. The results suggest that both ascending and descending 5-HT pathways play an important role in the acupuncture analgesia.