Biomaterial Database

Plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin and enkephalin concentration in healthy subjects before and after electroacupuncture. 1983

A Szczudlik, and A Lypka

The involvement of the endogenous analgesia systems in the mechanism of analgesia produced by electrical stimulation of the brain or resulting from certain stressful manipulations seems now well-established. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether acupuncture as a method of peripheral sensory stimulation activates, like central stimulation, the endogenous opiate system. Plasma concentrations of ACTH and the best known endogenous opiates: beta-endorphin, met- and leu-enkephalin, were determined before and after standard electroacupuncture stimulation in healthy volunteers. Acupuncture stimulation resulted in a significant (p less than 0.005) decrease of plasma beta-endorphin-like immuno-reactivity (B-EPLI), but plasma ACTH assayed did not change about 5 minutes after acupuncture. The authors conclude that the reaction of the beta-endorphin system to acupuncture (sensory peripheral) stimulation in humans did not involve pituitary hypersecretion, and suggest that the increase of beta-endorphin binding to the tissue receptor sites seems to be responsible for the peripheral (plasma) B-EPLI decrease after acupuncture.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009270	Naloxone	A specific opiate antagonist that has no agonist activity. It is a competitive antagonist at mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors.	MRZ 2593-Br,MRZ-2593,Nalone,Naloxon Curamed,Naloxon-Ratiopharm,Naloxone Abello,Naloxone Hydrobromide,Naloxone Hydrochloride,Naloxone Hydrochloride Dihydride,Naloxone Hydrochloride, (5 beta,9 alpha,13 alpha,14 alpha)-Isomer,Naloxone, (5 beta,9 alpha,13 alpha,14 alpha)-Isomer,Narcan,Narcanti,Abello, Naloxone,Curamed, Naloxon,Dihydride, Naloxone Hydrochloride,Hydrobromide, Naloxone,Hydrochloride Dihydride, Naloxone,Hydrochloride, Naloxone,MRZ 2593,MRZ 2593 Br,MRZ 2593Br,MRZ2593,Naloxon Ratiopharm
D011863	Radioimmunoassay	Classic quantitative assay for detection of antigen-antibody reactions using a radioactively labeled substance (radioligand) either directly or indirectly to measure the binding of the unlabeled substance to a specific antibody or other receptor system. Non-immunogenic substances (e.g., haptens) can be measured if coupled to larger carrier proteins (e.g., bovine gamma-globulin or human serum albumin) capable of inducing antibody formation.	Radioimmunoassays
D004599	Electric Stimulation Therapy	Application of electric current in treatment without the generation of perceptible heat. It includes electric stimulation of nerves or muscles, passage of current into the body, or use of interrupted current of low intensity to raise the detection threshold of the skin to pain.	Electrotherapy,Electrical Stimulation Therapy,Interferential Current Electrotherapy,Therapeutic Electric Stimulation,Therapeutic Electrical Stimulation,Therapy, Electric Stimulation,Electric Stimulation, Therapeutic,Electrical Stimulation, Therapeutic,Electrotherapy, Interferential Current,Stimulation Therapy, Electric,Stimulation Therapy, Electrical,Stimulation, Therapeutic Electric,Stimulation, Therapeutic Electrical,Therapy, Electrical Stimulation
D004723	Endorphins	One of the three major groups of endogenous opioid peptides. They are large peptides derived from the PRO-OPIOMELANOCORTIN precursor. The known members of this group are alpha-, beta-, and gamma-endorphin. The term endorphin is also sometimes used to refer to all opioid peptides, but the narrower sense is used here; OPIOID PEPTIDES is used for the broader group.	Endorphin
D004743	Enkephalin, Leucine	One of the endogenous pentapeptides with morphine-like activity. It differs from MET-ENKEPHALIN in the LEUCINE at position 5. Its first four amino acid sequence is identical to the tetrapeptide sequence at the N-terminal of BETA-ENDORPHIN.	Leucine Enkephalin,5-Leucine Enkephalin,Leu(5)-Enkephalin,Leu-Enkephalin,5 Leucine Enkephalin,Enkephalin, 5-Leucine,Leu Enkephalin
D004744	Enkephalin, Methionine	One of the endogenous pentapeptides with morphine-like activity. It differs from LEU-ENKEPHALIN by the amino acid METHIONINE in position 5. Its first four amino acid sequence is identical to the tetrapeptide sequence at the N-terminal of BETA-ENDORPHIN.	Methionine Enkephalin,5-Methionine Enkephalin,Met(5)-Enkephalin,Met-Enkephalin,5 Methionine Enkephalin,Enkephalin, 5-Methionine,Met Enkephalin
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000324	Adrenocorticotropic Hormone	An anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the ADRENAL CORTEX and its production of CORTICOSTEROIDS. ACTH is a 39-amino acid polypeptide of which the N-terminal 24-amino acid segment is identical in all species and contains the adrenocorticotrophic activity. Upon further tissue-specific processing, ACTH can yield ALPHA-MSH and corticotrophin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP).	ACTH,Adrenocorticotropin,Corticotropin,1-39 ACTH,ACTH (1-39),Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone,Corticotrophin,Corticotrophin (1-39),Corticotropin (1-39),Hormone, Adrenocorticotrophic,Hormone, Adrenocorticotropic