The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Laser Acupuncture at ST36 (Zusanli) Acupoint in the Model of Acute Inflammation Induced by Carrageenan in the Paw of Mice

Abstract — Low-intensity Laser acupuncture (LA) has been applied as an alternative to needling along the past three decades. The ST36 (Zusanli) acupoint is used to treat inflammatory processes, acute pain and gastrointestinal disturbs. For this reason, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of Laser acupuncture (830 nm, 4 J/cm2) on ST36 acupoint on paw edema induced by carrageenan in mice, a model of acute inflammation. Mice were treated with LA 30 min before intraplantar injection of carrageenan (300 µg/paw). The formation of edema was assessed using a digital micrometer and temperature analyzed through thermography. The results indicate that ST36 LA significantly inhibited the paw edema induced by carrageenan and reduced the temperature on skin plantar surface. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that ST36 photonic stimuli have anti-inflammatory effect in acute model of inflammation in mice