Ipsi- and Contralateral Moxibustion Generate Similar Analgesic Effect on Inflammatory Pain

Figure 1

Schematic diagrams of experimental procedures and moxibustion intervention. (a) Experimental procedure on formalin-induced pain model: moxibustion intervention for 15min was given before formalin injection; mice received Moxi or restriction alone before formalin intraplantar injection. (b) Experimental procedure on CFA-induced pain model. On day 1, mice received CFA intraplantar injection after baseline of TWL threshold test. On day 5, mice were intervened by moxibustion for 30 min and then got TWL threshold test for 2h. (c) Mice received formalin/CFA injection in the left hind paw: ipsi/contra-Moxi was applied to ST36 in the left/right legs of mice respectively. (d) CFA injection and paw edema on day 5. (e) Moxibustion intervention. (f) Temperature curves on ST36: the lowest temperature: 28.7°C; the highest temperature: 37.5°C; temperature difference: 8.8°C.