Mechanism of Electroacupuncture Analgesia on Nicotine Withdrawal-Induced Hyperalgesia in a Rat Model

<div>Electroacupuncture effects on nAChR <i>α</i>7, nAChR <i>α</i>4, nAChR <i>β</i>2, GLRA3, COX2, and Iba1 protein expressions in the PAG. Western blot analysis of nAChR <i>α</i>7 (a), nAChR <i>α</i>4 (b), nAChR <i>β</i>2 (c), GLRA3 (d), COX2 (e), and Iba1 (f) in the PAG of rats in the three groups (CTR: <i>n</i> = 6, NIC + <i>W</i>: <i>n</i> = 6, NIC + <i>W</i> + EA: <i>n</i> = 6). Statistical tests were analyzed using Student’s <i>t</i>-test. 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394H161L132 257H31L20 196H117L77 19H120L159 196H268L230 19H272L311 196H402L412 257H325L355 394H447L457 455ZM313 394L283 257H175L204 394H313Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,4.946,0)"><path d="M570 304C570 398 525 448 414 448C385 448 343 445 312 434L329 511L321 518C297 504 262 482 244 460L233 411C195 397 159 381 128 358L135 332C160 347 189 360 224 373L111 -147C97 -210 84 -218 17 -231L13 -257L254 -247L259 -218L233 -216C183 -212 177 -202 189 -142L218 -1C238 -10 266 -12 283 -12C351 3 429 48 483 105C543 168 570 242 570 304ZM482 289C482 161 380 33 304 33C278 33 248 51 233 69L303 396C326 400 352 403 369 403C428 403 482 380 482 289Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,16.288,0)"><path d="M512 -3V55L134 254V256L512 456V514L75 281V230L512 -3Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,27.551,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,33.791,0)"><path d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,36.755,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,42.995,0)"><path d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"></path></g></svg> vs. the NIC + <i>W</i> group). CTR—control group, NIC + <i>W</i>—nicotine withdrawal group, NIC + <i>W</i> + EA—nicotine withdrawal with electroacupuncture group.</div>

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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Figure 4

Figure 4: Mechanism of Electroacupuncture Analgesia on Nicotine Withdrawal-Induced Hyperalgesia in a Rat Model 