Int J Neurosci. 1983 ; 18(3-4): 287-91.

Electroacupuncture analgesia blocked by microinjection of anti-beta-endorphin antiserum into periaqueductal gray of the rabbit.

Xie GX, Han JS, HÃ¶llt V.

The possible role of beta-endorphin (beta-EP) in mediating the analgesic effect elicited by electroacupuncture (EA) was assessed by injecting antiserum against beta-EP into the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the rabbit. Two antisera (HO and UA) were raised in rabbits against human beta-EP, each of which recognized human, porcine, bovine, ovine, camel and rat beta-EP, the only difference being that HO recognized rabbit beta-EP while UA did not. The effect of EA analgesia was found to be seriously attenuated by injecting HO into PAG of the rabbit, while UA was ineffective. The results indicated a PAG pool of beta-EP as an important component in mediating EA analgesia.