Life sciences
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Although hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment following spinal cord injury (SCI) have been studied in terms of neurological function and tissue histology, there is a limited number studies on spinal cord tissue enzyme levels. ⋯ HBO treatment was found to be beneficial following SCI in terms of biochemical parameters and functional recovery in the postoperative period.
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The aim of this present study was to investigate the changes of peripheral sensory nerve excitability produced by propofol. ⋯ Our results have shown that propofol decreases nerve excitability of primary sensory afferents. The technique of threshold tracking revealed that axonal voltage-gated ion channels are significantly affected by propofol and therefore might be at least partially responsible for earlier described analgesic effects.
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The nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide (NOP) receptor was reported to be functionally heterogeneous. We investigated if [Tyr(10)]N/OFQ(1-11), a peptide ligand reported to selectively bind to the high affinity site of (125)I-[Tyr(14)]N/OFQ in rodent brains, can be a tool for revealing the NOP receptor heterogeneity. We have previously founded an NOP receptor subset insensitive to Ro 64-6198 and (+)-5a Compound, two non-peptide NOP agonists, in rat ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) neurons. Here, we examined if [Tyr(10)]N/OFQ(1-11) differentiated (+)-5a Compound-sensitive and -insensitive vlPAG neurons. Certain mu-opioid (MOP) receptor ligands highly competing with [Tyr(10)]N/OFQ(1-11) in binding studies also showed high affinity at expressed heteromeric NOP-MOP receptors. We also examined if [Tyr(10)]N/OFQ(1-11) distinguished heteromeric NOP-MOP receptors from homomeric NOP receptors. ⋯ [Tyr(10)]N/OFQ(1-11) is an NOP full agonist and less potent than N/OFQ. However, it can neither reveal the functional heterogeneity of NOP receptors in vlPAG neurons nor differentiate heteromeric NOP-MOP and homomeric NOP receptors.
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Comparative Study
Metformin and phenformin block the peripheral antinociception induced by diclofenac and indomethacin on the formalin test.
Recent evidence has shown that systemic administration of sulfonylureas and biguanides block the diclofenac-induced antinociception, but not the effect produced by indomethacin. However, there are no reports about the peripheral interaction between analgesics and the biguanides metformin and phenformin. Therefore, this work was undertaken to determine whether glibenclamide and glipizide and the biguanides metformin and phenformin have any effect on the peripheral antinociception induced by diclofenac and indomethacin. ⋯ Data suggest that diclofenac could activate the K(+) channels and biguanides-dependent mechanisms to produce its peripheral antinociceptive effects in the formalin test. Likewise, a biguanides-dependent mechanism could be activated by indomethacin consecutively to generate its peripheral antinociceptive effect.
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Comparative Study
Exogenous intravascular nitric oxide enhances ventricular function after hemodilution with plasma expander.
This study evaluated the hypothesis that exogenous nitric oxide (NO) supplementation during acute hemodilution with plasma expander (PE) provides beneficial effects on cardiac function. ⋯ NO supplementation in an acute hemodilution with PE has beneficial effects on cardiac performance. However, the NO supplementation effects with a NO donor are dose-independent and short-lasting.