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Objective To investigate the effects of methycobal on the expression of Caspase-3 in brain tissue after cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats. Methods Rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model control group, nimodipine group and low-dose methycobal group, high-dose methycobal group(n=30 in each group).Rats in the sham-operation group and model control group were administered intragastrically with 0.9% sodium chloride solution, rats in the nimodipine group were treated with 1 mg . kg-1 . d-1 of nimodipine, rats in the low- and high-dose of methycobal groups were given 50 and 100 μg.kg-1 .d-1 of methycobal, respectively. The rat model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion with suture method for 3 h.Neurological deficit scores were evaluated 24 h after reperfusion.The apoptosis of perifocal cortex cells was detected by TUNEL method and the expression of Caspase-3 was analyzed by RT-PCR 6, 12 and 24 h after reperfusion. Results Neurological deficit scores in model control group, nimodipine group, low-dose methycobal group and high-dose methycobal group were 2.70±0.52, 1.30±0.51, 2.20±0.75 and 1.30±0.81, respectively.Compared with model control group, neurological deficit scores were significantly different in the nimodipine group, low-dose methycobal group and high-dose methycobal group(P0. 05 ) . There was a significant difference between the high-dose methycobal group and low-dose methycobal group( P0.05).There were significant differences between the high-dose methycobal group and low-dose methycobal group at the end of 24 h(P<0.05). Conclusion Methycobal can protect the brain cells from injury after cerebral ischemia reperfusion by adjusting the expression of Caspase-3m RNA, and the high-dose methycobal is more effective.
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Aim To investigate the analgesic effect of tetrahydropalmatine on Cav1 . 2 expression in the dorsal root ganglion ( DRG) of mice with sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury ( CCI ) -induced neuropathic pain. Methods Forty male C57 BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 5 groups ( n =5 ): sham group ( group S) , CCI group ( group C ) and L-THP group ( group L) . Steady mice models of neuropathic pain were es-tablished by inducing CCI of sciatic nerve. According to development of neuropathic pain in mice, L group was divided into induction period, induction with ma-intenance period and long-term low-dose group. The mice were intraperitoneally administered with 45 mg · kg-1 tetrahydropalmatine in induction ( day 0~5 ) , in-duction with maintenance ( day 0~5 , 14~19 ) period of neuropathic pain state. From the instant after opera-tion, 15 mg · kg-1 tetrahydropalmatine was injected into the long-term low-dose group once per day for 19 days. Then, the behavior changes of mice were moni-tored. Moreover, the threshold of mechanical and ther-mal stimuli was tested. In addition, the expression of Cav1 . 2 protein was detected by Western blot and im-munohistochemical staining. Results The lowest ex-pression of Cav1 . 2 was observed in group C and the highest expression level of Cav1 . 2 was found in group S. Cav1. 2 expression was significantly up-regulated in induction period group, induction with maintenance period group and long-term low-dose group ( P0. 05 ) in long-term low-dose group. Conclusions High dose of tet-rahydropalmatine in induction period group, induction with maintenance period group and low-dose among the whole experiment process obviously relieves the neuro-pathic pain induced by nerve injury. The analgesic effect of tetrahydropalmatine on neuropathic pain may be due to the increased expression of Cav1 . 2 protein in DRG neurons.
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BACKGROUND: There are a lot of researches on the protective action of calcium channel blocker(CCB) on diabetic peripheral neuropathy, but the dosage and the effect on injured nerve need to investigate further in clinical application.OBJECTIVE: To observe the results of electrophysiologic assessment of the effect of CCB flunarizine at different dosages on Bell' s palsy after 1-month treatment.DESIGN: Randomized grouping, blank control and l-month follow up.SETTING: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 35 patients with Bell' s palsy, including 19males and 16 females aged from 16 to 58 and the mean age of 32. 8, were selected from Outpatients of the Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing Medical University from November 1999 to May 2001. The course of disease was ≤ 3 days. Patients were without any treatment, and all of the facial nerve palsy was complete. According to random samplings, all patients were divided randomly into control group (basic treatment group) with 12 cases and treatment groups with 10 cases in first subgroup and 13 in second subgroup.METHODS: Basic treatment: 1 mg/kg per day prednisone(the maximal dosage ≤ 60 mg/day) was taken once every day and reducing dosage by half every 5 days, with a course of therapy for 15 days. 500 μg methycobal was taken orally three times a day and 25 mg fursulthiamine also orally three times a day. Ultrashort wave physiotherapy was taken once a day for 15 days. On the basis of the basic treatment, patients in the first subgroup accepted 5 mg flunarizine once every night, and 10 mg flunarizine once every night was given to the patients in the second subgroup. The latency and amplitude of Blink response were checked before treatment and after 1-month treatment.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The latency and amplitude of Blink response in every group after 1-month treatment.RESULTS: According to the imagery analysis, 35 patients entered the resulting analysis. Before treatment, the 3 groups of blink responses were all efferential blocking in facioplegic side, and in addition, R1 and R2 all disappeared. After treatment for 1 month, Blink response of R1, R2 appeared. The latency of R1 and R2 in the second treatment group was better than that in control group[ (9. 608 ± 0. 575) ms, (31. 869 ± 2. 934) ms,(11.208±1.490) ms and (37. 583 ±5. 408) ms, P <0.01], but there were no differences in this respect between the first treatment group and the control group. The ipsilateral amplitudes of Blind response in the three groups were not different after 1-month treatment.CONCLUSION: After 1-month treatment with flunarizine(10 mg/day),the recovery of facial nerve function can be promoted, but the protective effect of flunarizine(5 mg/day) on peripheral nerve is not superior to that with normal treatment. The mechanism and the proper dosage are not observed further in this study.
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Objective To investigate the effects of dynamic standing bed training on the functional recovery of hemiplegic patients. Methods Sixty hemiplegic patients with Barthel index score of 40 were randomized into a standing rehabilitation group and a control group. The patients in standing rehabilitation group were asked to take part in dynamic standing bed training in addition to drug treatment. Those in the control group were treated with medication only. After 1 to 2 weeks of treatment, the weight-bearing ability of the lower limbs, balance, muscle tone, trunk control and the cardiovascular response were evaluated and compared with those before the treatment. Results The scores of weight-bearing, balance, muscle tone and trunk control of the patients in the standing rehabilitation group were better improved than those in the control group. The changes of blood pressure and pulse of patients were reduced and within the range of safety after 2 weeks of training. Conclusion Dynamic standing bed training is beneficial for the functional recovery of hemiplegic patients. It is safe for the patients in terms of cardiovascular response.
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Objective To study the effects of calaium channel blocker(CCB) on c-fos expression and nervous function following peripheral nerve injury.Methods Sciatic nerve was crushed with pincers to make the models of sciatic nerve crush injury in rats.The model rats were administered with Flunarizine 1 mg/kg(low dose group),2 mg/kg(high dose group) and normal saline 10 ml/kg(model group) via intraperitoneal injection.The c-fos positive cells at 1st and 4th week and nerve conduction velocity of sciatic nerve,distance between right behind toes were examined at 4th week respectively by immunohistochemical,behavior and electrophysiologic techniques.The results were compared with normal rats.Results(1) The c-fos positive cells were higher significantly in model and Flunarizine low dose groups compared with normal control group(all P0.05).Conclusion The c-fos expression following peripheral nerve injury can be reduced by CCB,which has the protective effect on the damaged peripheral nerve function.
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Objective To explore the effects of Nimodipine on oncogene c-fos and c-jun mRNA expressions in dorsal root ganglia of rats following acute sciatic nerve injury.Methods Nimodipine at a dose of 10 mg/kg at 5,15,30,60 and 120 min and at a different dose of 2.5,5 and 10 mg/kg at 60 min was given to each rat through intraperitoneal injection before transection of sciatic nerve.Using reverse transcription PCR(RT-PCR) technique,the c-fos and c-jun mRNA expressions were detected at 5,15,30,60 and 120 min after injection of Nimodipine and following acute sciatic nerve injury.Results Compared with control group,the expressions of c-fos mRNA in injury group were obviously increased at 30,60 and 120 min after injury(all P