ABSTRACT
Neuropathic pain may result from a wide spectrum of insults to the peripheral or central nervous system. This may include nutritional deficiencies, systemic diseases, chemotherapy, cerebrovascular accident, surgery or trauma. The hallmark of neuropathic pain is abnormal neural activity in peripheral nerve(s) or the central nervous system. This is often accompanied by disordered sensory processing both in the peripheral or central nervous system. Treating neuropathic pain is a major clinical challenge, and the underlying mechanisms of neuropathic pain remain elusive. The present review highlights pathophysiology of neuropathic pain and difficulty in treating the symptoms associated with it. This reflects our poor understanding of the pathophysiological processes which lead to neuropathic pain as well as the limited usefulness of many of our pharmacologic agents. An improved understanding of the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain as a result of laboratory research as well as novel means of delivering currently available drugs have provided us with an improved ability to treat certain types of neuropathic pain. Despite these advances, neuropathic pain remains extremely challenging to treat in the best of hands.
ABSTRACT
Sleep deprivation can lead to various alterations at physiological and psychological levels such as EEG changes, metabolic changes, irritation, blurred vision, memory lapses, hallucinations, psychosis and can even lead to death. Treatment still remains a challenge as hypnotics are associated with side effects. The objective of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of melatonin and buspirone and their combinations against the biochemical and behavioral alterations induced by 48 hrs sleep deprivation in mice. Pretreatment with melatonin (2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg), buspirone (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg), and melatonin (2.5, 5 mg/kg) in combination with buspirone (5 mg/kg) showed significant improvement in behavioral parameters such as increase in body weight, increase in locomotor activity, and reduction in anxiety like behavior. Biochemical parameters estimation also revealed similar results such as significant attenuation of lipid peroxidation and nitrite concentration and significant elevation of glutathione and catalase levels following treatment with melatonin (2.5, 5 mg/kg) and buspirone (5,10 mg/kg) and melatonin (2.5, 5 mg/kg) in combination with buspirone (5 mg/kg) as compared to their effect per se. Thus, preliminary findings suggest the protective effect of melatonin and buspirone and their combinations against sleep deprivation and associated alterations.