Electroacupuncture improves neuropathic pain Adenosine, adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium and their receptors perhaps change simultaneously

Applying a stimulating current to acupoints through acupuncture needles–known as electroacupuncture–has the potential to produce analgesic effects in human subjects and experimental animals. When acupuncture was applied in a rat model, adenosine 5-triphosphate disodium in the extracellular space was broken down into adenosine, which in turn inhibited pain transmission by means of an adenosine A1 receptor-dependent process. Direct injection of an adenosine A1 receptor agonist enhanced the analgesic effect of acupuncture. The analgesic effect of acupuncture appears to be mediated by activation of A1 receptors located on ascending nerves. In neuropathic pain, there is upregulation of P2X purinoceptor 3 （P2X3） receptor expression in dorsal root ganglion neurons. Conversely, the onset of mechanical hyperalgesia was diminished and established hyperalgesia was significantly reversed when P2X3 receptor expression was downregulated. The pathways upon which electroacupuncture appear to act are interwoven with pain pathways, and electroacupuncture stimuli converge with impulses originating from painful areas. Electroacupuncture may act via purinergic A1 and P2X3 receptors simultaneously to induce an analgesic effect on neuropathic pain.

Bioavailability of heavy metals in soil of the Tieguanyin tea garden, southeastern China

The bioavailability of 22 heavy metals was investigated at 19 sampling sites in Tieguanyin tea garden in Anxi County,Fujian Province,southeastern China.Heavy metal concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry(ICP-MS)and evaluated by geo-accumulation index(I_(geo)).Dilute nitric acid extraction was used to evaluate biological activity.Cu,Pb,and Cd were highly bioavailable and most easily absorbed by tea trees.Heavy metal bioavailability in the surface soil was as the ratio of the effective state to the total amount.Cd had the highest I_(geo)values,and the respective samples and sites were classified as moderately/strongly contaminated.Cd element is considered the main factor of heavy metal pollution in the tea garden in Anxi.The other heavy metals studied were present in lower concentrations;thus,the samples were classified as uncontaminated or slightly contaminated.