Electroacupuncture Alleviates Pain Responses and Inflammation in a Rat Model of Acute Gout Arthritis

Figure 7

Effect of local administrations of opioid or adenosine receptor antagonists on analgesic effects of EA on MSU-induced acute gout arthritis. (a–e) Nonselective opioid receptor naloxone (NALX, 40 μg/ankle), μ-opioid receptor antagonist β-funaltrexamine (β-FNLT, 50 μg/ankle), σ-opioid receptor antagonist naltrindole (NLTD, 48.7 μg/ankle), κ-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (Nor-BNI, 76 μg/ankle), or adenosine A1 receptor antagonist KW-3902 (600 μg/ankle) was injected (i.a.) into the ankle either ipsi (IL) or contralaterally (CL) right before EA treatment. EA was applied to rats for 30 min as indicated. versus before EA treatment, versus EA + Veh, NS: not significant versus EA + drug (IL) (panels (a)–(c)) or EA + Veh (IL) (panels (d) and (e)).

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(b)

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(e)