Comp Med East West. 1978 Spring; 6(1): 57-60.

Endorphin release: a possible mechanism of acupuncture analgesia.

Peng CH, Yang MM, Kok SH, Woo YK.

The action of acupuncture stimulation on analgesia has been investigated. The brain and serum extracts of acupunctured rabbits injected into rabbits produced a marked analgesic effect on the recipient, as shown by a great increase of their pain threshold. This effect is counteracted by a specific opiate anatagonist, naloxone. The data suggest that the release of the endogenous substances with morphine-like biological properties, endorphins, is increased by acupuncture stimulation, thus inhibiting pain perception.