Electroacupuncture Analgesia Blocked by Microinjection of Anti-Beta-Endorphin Antiserum into Periaqueductal Gray of the Rabbit

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Abstract
The possible role of β-endorphin (β-EP) in mediating the analgesic effect elicited by electroacupuncture (EA) was assessed by injecting antiserum against β-EP into the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the rabbit. Two antisera (HO and UA) were raised in rabbits against human β-EP, each of which recognized human, porcine, bovine, ovine, camel and rat β-EP, the only difference being that HO recognized rabbit β-EP while UA did not. The effect of EA analgesia was found to be seriously attenuated by injecting HO into PAG of the rabbit, while UA was ineffective. The results indicated a PAG pool of β-EP as an important component in mediating EA analgesia.