ABSTRACT
Objective To optimize the preparation of air bag materials for abdominal withdrawal reflex test.Methods To measure the diameters of different pressue-air bags by digital vernier caliper and X ray imaging.Using the pain threshold (3 points) as a criterion to test the pressure values of different air bags in the rats with corresponding visceral pain sensitivity.Results With the increasing pressure, the changes of the diameter of round latex balloon were uniform and gentle, and could meet the pressure range used in the experiment (20~80 mmHg).The threshold of visceral pain in rats was near the nociceptive stimulus value,and would not cause irreversible damage to the rat intestinal tract.Conclusions Air bag made from round latrex ballon is an ideal tool to be used in abdominal withdrawal reflex test in rats.
ABSTRACT
Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) test, which evaluates the behavioral response of animals through expanding the intestinal tract, is the most widely used method to assess animal's visceral sensitivity in recent years.However, as AWR experimental operation involves many factors, it''s hard to find a commonly recognized operating procedure.Through review of literature of AWR experimental measuring methods, this article summarizes the basic steps of AWR operation.Meanwhile, it scrutinizes the differences of various measuring methods in relevant factors, including expansion method and airbag method, with special operating suggestions to them.Hopefully, this article will provide an option to future researchers who will use this method to evaluate animal''s visceral sensitivity, and provide a necessary foundation for the standardization of the experimental operation.