FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Evid Based Complement Alternat Med / Comparison of pharmacopuncture, aquapuncture and acepromazin...
Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2008; 5(3); 267-272; doi: 10.1093/ecam/nel096

Comparison of pharmacopuncture, aquapuncture and acepromazine for sedation of horses.

Abstract: Pharmacopuncture, the injection of subclinical doses of drugs into acupoints reduces drug undesirable side effects, residues in animal consumption products and treatment costs in large animals. Acepromazine (Acp) produces several undesirable effects, such as hypotension. Previous studies with the injection of 1/10 of Acp dose in dog acupoints showed its advantage for sedation, minimizing undesirable effects. Eight horses were randomly submitted to four different treatment protocols according to a Latin Square double-blind design: (i) 0.1 ml kg(-1) of saline subcutaneously injected at the cervical region, (ii) 0.1 mg kg(-1) of Acp injected subcutaneously at the cervical region, (iii) 0.01 ml kg(-1) of saline injected into GV1 acupoint (aquapuncture) and (iv) 0.01 mg kg(-1) of Acp injected into GV1 acupoint (pharmacopuncture). Heart rate, respiratory rate, head height and degree of sedation were measured before and at 30, 60 and 90 min after treatments. Signs of sedation were observed in all treated groups at 30 min and only in 1/10Acp-GV1 at 60 min after the treatments. Only the group treated with 0.1 mg kg(-1) of Acp s.c. had significantly lower values of head height at 30 min. Respiratory rate tended to reduce in all groups but was significantly lower only in horses treated with 0.1 mg kg(-1) of Acp s.c. Heart rate remained unchanged in all groups. Acp-pharmacopuncture on GV1 in horses produced a mild sedation when compared with the conventional dose of Acp. More investigations are necessary to determine the optimal dosage of Acp-pharmacopuncture for sedation in horses.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2008-10-03 PubMed ID: 18830446PubMed Central: PMC2529381DOI: 10.1093/ecam/nel096Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research is a comparative study of the effects of pharmacopuncture, aquapuncture, and acepromazine on horse sedation. The study suggests that injecting acepromazine into horse acupoints (pharmacopuncture) could be a more effective and less harmful method than traditional dosages.

Research Methodology

  • The study involved an experiment on eight horses. The horses underwent four different treatment protocols, arranged through a Latin Square design to minimize any bias in the experiment. This provided a more controlled environment, improving the accuracy of the findings.
  • The different treatments included saline injection at the cervical region, acepromazine (Acp) injection at the cervical region, saline injection at an acupoint known as GV1, and Acp injection at the GV1 acupoint.
  • Saline and Acp were administered in varying quantities, aiming to ascertain their impact and effectiveness when administered in different ways: pharmacopuncture (drug injection into acupoints) and subcutaneous (under the skin) injections.

Research Findings

  • The heart rate, respiratory rate, head height, and degree of sedation of the horses were measured before application, and at intervals of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90 minutes after the treatments.
  • The study suggests that all treatments showed signs of sedation in the horses at 30 minutes. At the 60 minute mark, only the group treated with the smaller dose of Acp at GV1 acupoint (pharmacopuncture) showed signs of sedation.
  • The group treated with a traditional dose of Acp showed significantly lower values of head height at 30 minutes, indicating an induced relaxed state in the horses.
  • However, the respiratory rates tended to decrease in all groups but was only significantly lower for horses treated with the full dose of Acp under the skin.
  • Heart rate remained unchanged in all groups.

Conclusion and Further Research

  • The study concludes that acepromazine pharmacopuncture on a key acupoint in horses produces milder sedation compared to the conventional dosage.
  • However, the researchers expressed the need for further investigations to determine the optimal dosage of acepromazine pharmacopuncture for sedation in horses. This implies this present research forms a foundation for more detailed studies to develop safer and more efficient sedation procedures in large animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Luna SP, Angeli AL, Ferreira CL, Lettry V, Scognamillo-Szabó M. (2008). Comparison of pharmacopuncture, aquapuncture and acepromazine for sedation of horses. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 5(3), 267-272. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nel096

Publication

Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
ISSN: 1741-427X
NlmUniqueID: 101215021
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 5
Issue: 3
Pages: 267-272

Researcher Affiliations

Luna, Stelio P L
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University 18618-000 Botucatu, SP, Brazil and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uberlândia Federal University CEP 38.400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Angeli, Ana L
    Ferreira, Cristiane L
      Lettry, Vivien
        Scognamillo-Szabó, Márcia

          References

          This article includes 26 references
          1. Habacher G, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Effectiveness of acupuncture in veterinary medicine: Systematic review.. J Vet Intern Med 2006;20:480–8.
            pubmed: 16734078
          2. Ralt D. Intercellular communication, NO and the biology of Chinese medicine.. Cell Commun Signal 2005;3:1–6.
            pmc: PMC1180462pubmed: 15904530
          3. Lin JH, Wu LS, Wu YL, Lin CS, Yang NYJ. Aquapuncture therapy of repeat breeding in dairy cattle.. Am J Chin Med 2002;30:397–404.
            pubmed: 12230028
          4. Lee JD, Park HJ, Chae Y, Lim S. An overview of bee venom acupuncture in the treatment of arthritis.. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2005;2:79–84.
            pmc: PMC1062163pubmed: 15841281
          5. Baek YH, Huh JE, Lee JD, Choi Y, Park DS. Antinociceptive effect and the mechanism of bee venom acupuncture (apipuncture) on inflammatory pain in the rat model of collagen-induced arthritis: mediation by alpha2-Adrenoceptors.. Brain Res 2006;1073/1074:305–10.
            pubmed: 16457792
          6. Zhao Y. Acupuncture plus point-injection for 32 cases of obstinate urticaria.. J Tradit Chin Med 2006;26:22–3.
            pubmed: 16705847
          7. Martin BB Jr, Klide AM. Use of acupuncture for the treatment of chronic back pain in horses: stimulation of acupuncture points with saline solution injections.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1987;190:1177–80.
            pubmed: 2953702
          8. Zhang AL, Wu Y, Jiang XL. Analysis on therapeutic effect of acupoint-injection on chronic hepatitis B (Chinese). Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2005;25:25–6.
            pubmed: 16309150
          9. Zhu YH, Chen YH. On effects of acupoints and drugs in acupoint-injection treatment (Chinese). Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2005;25:46–8.
            pubmed: 16309157
          10. Jin JJ, Xu YL, Zheng Y. Effects of acupoint-injection of Kaixilai on TG, TC, MDA, SOD, AST and ALT in the patient of non-alcoholic fatty liver (Chinese). Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2006;26:100–2.
            pubmed: 16541856
          11. Wynn SG, Luna SPL, Liu H, Xie H, Nan TC, Chien CH. Global acupuncture research: previously untranslated studies. Studies from Brazil.. Veterinary Acupuncture: Ancient Art to Modern Medicine St Louis: Mosby; 2001. pp. 53–7.
          12. Nie GJ, Goodin AN, Braden TD, Wenzel JG. Luteal and clinical response following administration of dinoprost tromethamine or cloprostenol at standard intramuscular sites or at the lumbosacral acupuncture point in mares.. Am J Vet Res 2001;62:1285–9.
            pubmed: 11497452
          13. Dos Santos JG Jr, Tabosa A, do Monte FH, Blanco MM, de Oliveira Freire A, Mello LE. Electroacupuncture prevents cognitive deficits in pilocarpine-epileptic rats.. Neurosci Lett 2005;384:234–8.
            pubmed: 15893427
          14. Ovechkin A, Kim KS, Lee JW, Lee SM. Thermo-visual evaluation of the Yin-Tang acupuncture point for intracranial hypertension syndrome.. Am J Chin Med 2003;31:455–66.
            pubmed: 12943176
          15. Chou CC, Chen LC, Rice BL, Colahan PT. Reduced resident time and pharmacodynamic effects of Acepromazine after subclinical multiple dosage in exercised thoroughbreds.. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2002;25:379–82.
            pubmed: 12423229
          16. Miksa IR, Cummings MR, Poppenga RH. Determination of acepromazine, ketamine, medetomidine, and xylazine in serum: multi-residue screening by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.. J Anal Toxicol 2005;29:544–51.
            pubmed: 16168177
          17. Kenjinji I, Hiroshi K. Comparison of transient heart rate reduction associated with acupuncture stimulation in supine and sitting subjects.. Acupunct Med 2003;21:133–7.
            pubmed: 14740810
          18. Zhou W, Fu LW, Tjen-A-Looi SC, Li P, Longhurst JC. Afferent mechanisms underlying stimulation modality-related modulation of acupuncture-related cardiovascular responses.. J Appl Physiol 2005;98:872–80.
            pubmed: 15531558
          19. Kaptchuk TJ, Stason WB, Davis RB, Legedza AR, Schnyer RN, Kerr CE. Sham device v inert pill: randomised controlled trial of two placebo treatments.. Br Med J 2006;332:391–7.
            pmc: PMC1370970pubmed: 16452103
          20. McCarney RW, Lasserson TJ, Linde K, Brinkhaus B. An overview of two Cochrane systematic reviews of complementary treatments for chronic asthma: acupuncture and homeopathy.. Respir Med 2004;98:687.
            pubmed: 15303632
          21. Fleming P. Transpositional equine atlas.. Veterinary Acupuncture: Ancient Art to Modern Medicine St Louis: Mosby; 2001. pp. 393–431.
          22. Kim DH, Cho SH, Song KH, Lee SE, Lee SH, Kwon GO. Electroacupuncture analgesia for surgery in cattle.. Am J Chin Med 2004;32:131–40.
            pubmed: 15154292
          23. Xie H, Ott EA, Harkins JD, Tobin T, Colahan PT, Johnson M. Influence of electro-acupuncture on pain threshold in horses and its mode of action.. J Equine Vet Sci 2001;27:591–600.
          24. Wang JD, Kuo TB, Yang CC. An alternative method to enhance vagal activities and suppress sympathetic activities in humans.. Auton Neurosci 2002;100:90–5.
            pubmed: 12422965
          25. Chen S, Ma SX. Effects of l-arginine-derived nitric oxide synthesis on cardiovascular responses to stimulus-evoked somatosympathetic reflexes in the gracile nucleus.. Brain Res 2002;958:330–7.
            pubmed: 12470869
          26. Chen S, Ma SX. Nitric oxide in the gracile nucleus mediates depressor response to acupuncture (ST36). J Neurophysiol 2003;90:780–5.
            pubmed: 12672780

          Citations

          This article has been cited 18 times.
          1. Jeong MI, Lim JK, Kim YJ, Jeon YS, Kim S, Kim CY, Park YC, Kim EJ, Hong Y, Nam D, Lee YJ, Kim D, Ha IH. Effectiveness and Safety of Pharmacopuncture Therapy Compared to Standard Physical Therapy in Patients with Chronic Knee Pain: A Pilot Study for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. Medicina (Kaunas) 2025 Jun 18;61(6).
            doi: 10.3390/medicina61061106pubmed: 40572793google scholar: lookup
          2. Solash B, Cheema JS, Freire M, Benito J, Pang DSJ. Use of a novel subcutaneous injection site in the region of acupuncture point GV20 for premedicating cats before general anesthesia. Can Vet J 2025 May;66(5):537-545.
            pubmed: 40322646
          3. Kim D, Park KS, Kim SA, Seo JY, Cho HW, Lee YJ, Yang C, Ha IH, Han CH. Pharmacopuncture therapy for adhesive capsulitis: A pragmatic randomized controlled pilot study. Integr Med Res 2024 Sep;13(3):101065.
            doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2024.101065pubmed: 39224580google scholar: lookup
          4. Kim D, Kim ES, Song HJ, Park SY, Park KS, Lee YJ, Ha IH. An economic evaluation of pharmacopuncture versus usual care for chronic neck pain: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. BMC Health Serv Res 2023 Nov 23;23(1):1286.
            doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-10325-wpubmed: 37993844google scholar: lookup
          5. Kwon CY. Research Trends of Pharmacopuncture: a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer (2007-2023). J Pharmacopuncture 2023 Sep 30;26(3):227-237.
            doi: 10.3831/KPI.2023.26.3.227pubmed: 37799619google scholar: lookup
          6. Park KS, Kim S, Seo JY, Cho H, Lee JY, Lee YJ, Lee J, Kim MJ, Choi YE, Yang CS, Han CH, Ha IH. Effectiveness and Safety of Pharmacopuncture Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. J Pain Res 2022;15:2629-2639.
            doi: 10.2147/JPR.S375231pubmed: 36072909google scholar: lookup
          7. Cho HW, Park JH, Yoo DH, Hwang DW, Kim SD, Kim ES, Park KS, Lee YJ, Lee J, Yang C, Han CH, Ha IH. Long-Term Follow-Up of Inpatients with Cervical Myelopathy Who Received Integrative Korean Medicine Treatment: A Retrospective Analysis and Questionnaire Survey Study. J Pain Res 2022;15:801-812.
            doi: 10.2147/JPR.S347410pubmed: 35370420google scholar: lookup
          8. Park KS, Kim S, Kim C, Seo JY, Cho H, Kim SD, Lee YJ, Lee J, Ha IH. A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Pharmacopuncture Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain: A Pragmatic, Randomized, Controlled Trial. J Clin Med 2021 Dec 21;11(1).
            doi: 10.3390/jcm11010012pubmed: 35011752google scholar: lookup
          9. Scallan EM, Eckman SL, Coursey CD, Ikels KC, Simon BT. The analgesic and sedative effects of GV20 pharmacopuncture with low-dose hydromorphone in healthy dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Can Vet J 2021 Oct;62(10):1104-1110.
            pubmed: 34602640
          10. Park JH, Choi KE, Kim SG, Chu HY, Lee SW, Kim TJ, Cho HW, Kim SD, Park KS, Lee YJ, Lee JH, Ha IH. Long-Term Follow-Up of Inpatients with Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Who Received Integrative Korean Medicine Treatment: A Retrospective Analysis and Questionnaire Survey Study. J Clin Med 2021 Apr 15;10(8).
            doi: 10.3390/jcm10081703pubmed: 33920914google scholar: lookup
          11. Ribeiro MO, Bittencourt RF, Feliciano MAR, Santana ALA, Silva MAA, Felix MD, Santana LR, Barbosa LP. Subdose of human chorionic gonadotropin applied at the Hou Hai acupoint on follicular dynamics and luteal development in donkeys. Anim Reprod 2020 Nov 25;17(4):e20200554.
            doi: 10.1590/1984-3143-AR2020-0554pubmed: 33791033google scholar: lookup
          12. Park KS, Lee YJ, Lee J, Ha IH. A study on the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture for chronic neck pain: A protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 Jul 31;99(31):e21406.
            doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000021406pubmed: 32756138google scholar: lookup
          13. Shin J, Lee YJ, Shin JS, Lee J, Kim H, Kim MR, Ha IH. Utilization Status and Satisfaction with Medical Services in Nonresidential Foreign Medical Tourists Visiting a Korean Medicine Hospital. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2018;2018:6586352.
            doi: 10.1155/2018/6586352pubmed: 29853966google scholar: lookup
          14. Kim MR, Shin JS, Lee J, Lee YJ, Ahn YJ, Park KB, Lee HD, Lee Y, Kim SG, Ha IH. Safety of Acupuncture and Pharmacopuncture in 80,523 Musculoskeletal Disorder Patients: A Retrospective Review of Internal Safety Inspection and Electronic Medical Records. Medicine (Baltimore) 2016 May;95(18):e3635.
            doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000003635pubmed: 27149503google scholar: lookup
          15. Lee J, Shin JS, Lee YJ, Kim MR, Ahn YJ, Park KB, Kropf MA, Shin BC, Lee MS, Ha IH. Effects of Shinbaro pharmacopuncture in sciatic pain patients with lumbar disc herniation: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2015 Oct 12;16:455.
            doi: 10.1186/s13063-015-0993-6pubmed: 26459006google scholar: lookup
          16. Villas-Boas JD, Dias DP, Trigo PI, Almeida NA, de Almeida FQ, de Medeiros MA. Acupuncture Affects Autonomic and Endocrine but Not Behavioural Responses Induced by Startle in Horses. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:219579.
            doi: 10.1155/2015/219579pubmed: 26413116google scholar: lookup
          17. Pontes MC, Heck LC, Coelho JC. Behavioral and biochemical effects of pharmacopuncture (ST 36 and ST 25) in obese rats. BMC Complement Altern Med 2015 Aug 28;15:297.
            doi: 10.1186/s12906-015-0829-7pubmed: 26314894google scholar: lookup
          18. Litscher D, Litscher G, Kang DI. Korean Pharmacopuncture Meets Austrian High- Tech Acupuncture - A Short Review Article Including a Bibliometric Analysis of Pharmacopuncture over the Last 15 Years - Pharmacopuncture and Europe. J Pharmacopuncture 2013 Mar;16(1):7-11.
            doi: 10.3831/KPI.2013.16.004pubmed: 25780656google scholar: lookup
          Subscribe to our newsletter
          Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.