The role of manual acupuncture and morphine administration on the modulation of capsaicin-induced edema in rat paw. A blind controlled study.

Neurogenic inflammation, includes vasodilation, the increase of vasal permeability and edema due to the release of neuromediators from nerve endings. A modulation of the release of neurotransmitters, from nerve endings and neurogenic inflammation related phenomena, was observed with the administration of drugs or of neurotransmitters inhibiting the release of neuropeptides from capsaicin-sensible neurons, among which morphine and other endogenous agonist opioids seem to be effective. The aim of this study is to verify the effect of acupuncture on the peripheral release of Substance P due to the injection of capsaicin in rat paw. The study was carried out on 44 male Sprague-Dawley divided in 3 groups according to the treatment they were submitted to. Group 1 [20 rats] were controls; group 2 [10 rats] was received intraperitoneal morphine chloridrate 5 mg/Kg; group 3 [14 rats] stimulated with manual acupuncture. Morphine is effective in controlling inflammatory response according to other Authors' results. Also manual acupuncture is effective in controlling the edematogenic response in a statistically significant way of comparison with controls.

[Chronobiological approach to renal colic]. / Approccio cronobiologico alla colica renale.

The concentration of lithogenic and antilithogenic substances in urine shows circadian fluctuations. With this investigation we intended to verify the presence of a chronobiologic rhythm of colic pain in urinary tract calculosis. Four hundred and forty seven consecutive patients with a clinical symptomatology related to urinary tract colic pain were studied. They were subdivided according to sex and age (297 M, 150 F; > or = 65 ys 29, < 65 ys 428). Urinary and blood chemical analysis and instrumental examinations permitted to confirm the clinical diagnosis. To evaluate the circadian and circannual variability, acute events were grouped into one calendar year by the month and into a ideal day by the hour of occurrence respectively. Chronobiologic analysis was performed utilising Halberg single cosinor test. The results pointed out that the symptomatology related to urinary tract colic pain presents a circadian rhythmicity either in patients as a whole or in single subgroups (males, females, younger or older than 65 ys). Besides no seasonal variability was demonstrated, perhaps because of the mild climate present in the geographic area in which the study was carried on.