EFFECTS OF DEEP VS. SUPERFICIAL STIMULATION OF ACUPUNCTURE ON CAPSAICIN-INDUCED EDEMA - A BLIND CONTROLLED-STUDY IN RATS

The modality of needle stimulation in acupuncture is part of the conce pt of the iintensityi of the stimulation, a variable indicating the id osagei of the treatment administered. In this study we intend to compa re the effect of superficial and deep needle insertion in the leg ipsi lateral or contralateral to the paw treated with capsaicin. Testing wa s carried out on 100 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 120-140 g, divi ded into 5 groups according to the treatment received. Group 1 [20 ani mals] was kept as control; Group 2 [20] received ipsilateral deep acup uncture stimulation; Group 3 [20] received ipsilateral superficial acu puncture stimulation; Group 4 [20] received contralateral deep acupunc ture stimulation; Group 5 [20] received superficial contralateral acup uncture stimulation. Results show that both acupuncture modalities are efficient when administered ipsilaterally to the paw where capsaicin is injected, while contralaterally only deep stimulation shows a certa in efficiency. It is possible to conclude that deep insertion has a gr eater efficiency, probably because it affects a greater number of rece ptors; stimulation is therefore of an intensity greater than that seen in superficial insertion.