Combined oxytocin and acupuncture as a novel regimen for analgesia for cancer patients

Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide with a peripheral role in reproduction, though it also may have a central effect. The aim of the study is to verify its analgesic role with and without acupuncture analgesia and to understand the mechanism of OXT in modulating pain process. Patients were divided into control, acupuncture, intrathecal OXT and combined intrathecal OXT+ acupuncture groups. Pain threshold, cardiovascular changes, and pain related mediators (serotonin, and dopamine) were assessed. A significant increase of the pain threshold was observed in intrathecal oxytocin group. The response was highly significantly increased in the combined group. Besides, OXT induces significant increase in the serum levels of neurotransmitters related to the pain. OXT proved to be more analgesic than auricular acupuncture and their combination provides a great synergistic analgesic effect.