Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 1996 ; 21(1): 52-5.

[The inhibition of yohimbine injected intrathecally on electroacupuncture-induced analgesia and release of beta-endorphin from rat brain]

Chen M, Zhuang W, Huang X.

Department of Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical University.

Yohimbine (30 micrograms/8 microliters, ith), an antagonist of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor, can inhibit electroacupuncture-induced analgesia (EAA) for 15 min, with its biggest effect reducing the pain threshold of electroacupuncture (EA) to the level of sham electroacupuncture (SEA). Yohmbine also completely inhibit the increase of beta-endorphin in the push-pull liquids from ventriculus lateralis cerebri caused by EA. But yohimbine itself produce no effect on pain threshold and the concentration of beta-endorphin. These results suggest that EAA and the increased release of beta-endorphin caused by EA are related to the activation of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor in the spinal cord.