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Acupuncture-Induced Activation of Endogenous Opioid System

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Acupuncture Therapy for Neurological Diseases

Abstract

It has been accepted that acupuncture at certain points on the body induces analgesia/anesthesia and therapeutic effects on certain diseases. The mechanistic research demonstrates that acupuncture effects are mediated by the central neurotransmitters. Among them, the endogenous opioid peptides (EOP) play an important role in acupuncture effects. In general, acupuncture activates the EOP system by influencing the release and synthesis of EOP, and regulating the function and expression of their corresponding receptors. Although previous data were mostly obtained from the studies on acupuncture analgesia and anesthesia, it is very likely that acupuncture-induced activation of the EOP system may induce multiple effects on the body, as EOP system broadly participates in the physiological function and pathophysiologic process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Guoqiang Wen & Ying Xia

  2. Third Medical College of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213003, P.R. China

    Yilin Yang

  3. Shanghai Research Center for Acupuncture and Meridians, Shanghai, 201203, P.R. China

    Yang Lu & Ying Xia

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  1. Guoqiang Wen
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  2. Yilin Yang
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  3. Yang Lu
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  4. Ying Xia
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Correspondence to Ying Xia .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Ying Xia

  2. State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, P.R. China

    Xiaoding Cao , Gencheng Wu  & Jieshi Cheng ,  & 

  3. Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, P.R. China

    Xiaoding Cao , Gencheng Wu  & Jieshi Cheng ,  & 

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Wen, G., Yang, Y., Lu, Y., Xia, Y. (2010). Acupuncture-Induced Activation of Endogenous Opioid System. In: Xia, Y., Cao, X., Wu, G., Cheng, J. (eds) Acupuncture Therapy for Neurological Diseases. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10857-0_4

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