Electroacupuncture and the endocannabinoid system

Abstract

Cannabis is a plant with a history of over 10,000 years of cultivation and use in Chinese medicine, but its mechanism of action in the human and animal organism has only recently begun to be discovered. From studies of the components of cannabis, it was discovered what is now called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), a complex system for regulating the body's homeostasis. New studies point out the relationship between electroacupuncture (EA) and the expression of cannabinoid receptors, thus the objective of this work is to demonstrate the relationship between EA and EKS. To this end, a brief review was conducted on the use of cannabis, the discovery and function of SEC, the mechanisms of action of EA, and 4 articles from the years 2021 and 2022 on the topic were chosen. The conclusion obtained is that EA is linked to the expression of CB1 and CB2 receptors and has adjuvant potential in the treatment of chronic pain.