[Evaluation of the effect of gabapentin in the enhances of the analgesic response to morphine in tail flick of male rats]

Opioids, as drug of choice in acute pain treatment, have many side effects including dependency. Therefore, the combinational therapy of other drugs accompanied with opioids could decrease the side effects, tolerance and opioid dependency. In this study the effect of gabapentin and morphine co-administration was evaluated in acute model of pain. In this experimental study, the antinociceptive effect of gabapentin [30 or 90mg/kg, s.c.] and morphine [0.5, 1 and 3mg/kg, s.c.] alone or in combination with gabapentin were measured by Tail-flick test every 15 minuxtes up to 105 mins in intact adult male rats. Control rats received normal saline. Area Under Curve [AUC], as antinociceptive index, was calculated for each groups. Both gabapentin [90mg/kg] and morphine [1 and 3mg/kg] showed antinociceptive response as compared to controls [p<0.05]. But there was not any significant differences between the [AUC] of 0.5mg/kg morphine and 30mg/kg gabapentin as compared to controls, so these doses were considered as subanalgesic doses. The co-administration of subanalgesic doses of morphine [0.5mg/kg] and gabapentin [30mg/kg] increased significantly AUC as compared to morphine alone [p<0.001]. The co-administration of gabapentin [30 and 90mg/kg] with analgesic doses of 1mg/kg [p<0.005] and 3mg/kg morphine also increased significantly AUC antinociceptive index as compared to controls [p<0.05]. Gabapentin enhanced the antinociceptive effects of both analgesic and subanalgesic doses of morphine in a dose dependent manner in acute pain model in male rats

[ effects of crocus sativus extract on the acquisition and expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in mice]

The effects of Crocus sativus [Saffron] on the euphoric properties of morphine have not yet been studied. In the present study, the effects of water extract of C. sativus stigma on the acquisition and expression of morphine-induced Conditioned Place Preference [CPP] in male N-MARI mice [weighted 20-25 g] were investigated. This experimental study was conducted on 136 male mice that were divided into 17 groups [n=8/group]. In a pilot study, different doses of morphine [1, 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg] and C. sativus extract [10, 50 and 100 mg/kg] were injected to the animals, to evaluate the drugs ability in induction of place preference. In the second phase of the experiments, the extract of the C. sativus was administered during or after induction of morphine CPP. Then, CPP were tested in the animals. One-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] was performed for statistical procedure. Administration of morphine [1, 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg], increased the required time in the compartment paired with morphine [i.e. CPP] that was significant [p<0.001] for those animals that received 4 and 8 mg/kg of morphine. Administration of the plant extract [50 mg/kg] also produced a significant CPP [p<0.01] compared with control group. Injection of the same dose of the extract before morphine [8 mg/kg] administration, caused a decrease in the time spent in drug-paired side only in dose of 100 mg/kg of the extract [p<0.05]. In addition, injection of the plant extract in the test days to the animals, which reveived morphine [8 mg/kg] in the conditioning days, enhanced the expression of morphine CPP in the animals, that was statisticaly significant for the extract at the concentration of 50 mg/kg [p<0.05]. It could be concluded that injection of the extract of C. sativus can inhibit the acquisition but enhanced the expression of morphine-induced CPP. In addition, the extract can produce CPP by itself

Prevalence of migraine headache and effective environmental factors in Kerman a population based survey

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of migraine headache among Kermanian adults [aged >12 years], and analyse variation by age, gender, occupation and educational level. A population-based survey was undertaken using questionnaire interviews with 1,488 adults, who were randomly selected from households across, Kerman by cluster regional sampling. There are questions about frequency and characteristics of headaches experienced and other symptoms in the questionnaire. The diagnostic criteria of the international headache society were used to classify people as migraineurs [with or without aura]. Of 1,488 random selected adults, 427 were headachers and 30 were migraineurs. The prevalence of migraineurs among males was 0.8% and among females was 3.4%. For females, prevalence appears to increase with age, peaking of 26-41 years and declining thereafter. Sex specific prevalence females and males was controlled for age, was significantly lower in males. We found no association between migraine prevalence and educational level or occupation. We found association between migraine prevalence and environmental factors, anxiety, insomnia, light, sound, fatigue, activity, smoking, menstruation, which was significant

Cardiac operations in patients with chronic liver diseases

Thirty-six patients with chronic liver diseases [group I], and 32 patients with no liver disease [group II] in need of elective cardiac surgery were studied. After careful clinical, radiological and laboratory investigations, group I was subdivided into group IA well compensated liver patients, asymptomatic, with no or minimal laboratory changes [N =19] and group IB with mild cirrhotic liver[N =17]. Moderately and severely cirrhotic patients were excluded from the study. The numerical values in the postoperative course of group IA and IB were compared with those of group II. Differences between the group were considered significant if the p value was less than 0.05 [ANOVA]. The results revealed a significant increase in the postoperative chest tube drainage, total ventilation time, total intensive care duration and total hospital stay in hepatic patients, especially group IB. The incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality was significantly higher in group IB compared with IA and group II and in group IA compared with group II

Chromosomal pattern in tuberculous patients

The "in vitro" model of lymphocyte culture was used to investigate the chromosomal pattern of 40 pulmonary tuberculous patients and 20 normal subjects. The study showed increased risk of chromosomal aberrations in T.B. Patients which is likely to be due to the combined effect of the disease and its therapy. The advancement of the disease and the lengthy irregular treatment are important modulators increasing chromosomal abnormality

Modulates of pulmonary perfusion in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Pulmonary perfusion scanning using Technitium 99m labeled on macroaggregated human serum albumin was done for 32 patients; 16 with rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and 16 with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]. Their age range was 13-68 years and duration of illness: 1.5-15 years. This study showed reduction of pulmonary perfusion mainly in the posterior and lateral basal segments in both RA and SLE patients. This perfusion defect was related to age and duration of illness in RA but not is SLE. Clinical respiratory manifestation and/or chest radiological findings did not show relation to pulmonary perfusion in both diseases

Diagnostic role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy at Zagazig faculty of medicine

This study included 258 cases who were candidates for fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The results of sputum cytology were positive for malignant cells in 12.75% out of 102 cases while the results of bronchial aspirate were positive for malignant cells in 47.23% out of 180 suspect malignant cases, but were positive for acid fast bacilli [AFB] in 36.67% out of 30 suspect tuberculous cases. The histopathological results of the bronchial and transbronchial biopsies were proved to be bronchial carcinoma in 50.34%, bronchial adenoma in 2.58%, highly suspicious of malignancy in 1.29%, metaplastic changes in 11.61%, chronic non specific inflammation in 32.26%, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in 1.29% and caseating granuloma in 0.65% out of 155 cases