Melanocortin peptides: potential targets in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease resulting in loss of self-tolerance with multiple organs, such as the kidney, skin, joints, and the central nervous system (CNS), being targeted. Numerous immunosuppressant therapies are currently being used for the treatment of SLE, but their clinical utility is somewhat variable because of the clinical heterogeneity. Melanocortins are a family of peptides derived from the common precursor protein pro-opiomelanocortin.

Swimming enhances bone mass acquisition in growing female rats.

Growing bones are most responsive to mechanical loading. We investigated bone mass acquisition patterns following a swimming or running exercise intervention of equal duration, in growing rats. We compared changes in bone mineral properties in female Sprague Dawley rats that were divided into three groups: sedentary controls (n = 10), runners (n = 8) and swimmers (n = 11).

Tramadol is more effective than morphine and amitriptyline against ischaemic pain but not thermal pain in rats.

The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacies of tramadol, which acts on opioid receptors and inhibits monoamine reuptake, to amitriptyline, a monoamine reuptake inhibitor as well as to morphine, an opioid receptor agonist. We compared the motor function impairment and response latencies to noxious thermal and noxious ischaemic challenges after tramadol administration to those after morphine and after amitriptyline administration. We injected Sprague-Dawley rats (i.