Effects of Distinct Force Magnitude of Spinal Manipulative Therapy on Blood Biomarkers of Inflammation: A Proof of Principle Study in Healthy Young Adults.

Objectives: The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine the influence of thoracic spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) of different force magnitudes on blood biomarkers of inflammation in healthy adults.

Methods: Nineteen healthy young adults (10 female, age: 25.6 ± 1.

Spine-Adjusting Instrument (Impulse®) Attenuates Nociception and Modulates Oxidative Stress Markers in the Spinal Cord and Sciatic Nerve of a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain.

Objective: Oxidative stress plays an important role in neuropathic pain (NP). Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) can exert beneficial effects on pain outcomes in humans and in animal models. SMT can also modulate oxidative stress markers in both humans and animals.

Aqueous leaf extract from Luehea divaricata Mart. Modulates oxidative stress markers in the spinal cord of rats with neuropathic pain.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in neuropathic pain (i.e., pain caused by lesion or disease of the somatosensory system).

Aqueous extract from Luehea divaricata Mart. Leaves reduces nociception in rats with neuropathic pain.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Luehea divaricata, popularly known in Brazil as "açoita-cavalo", has been widely explored by different ethnic groups native to Brazil to treat different pathologic conditions, including inflammatory pain. However, no report could be found on the effect that extract of L. divaricata has on neuropathic pain.

Spinal Manipulation Therapy Improves Tactile Allodynia and Peripheral Nerve Functionality and Modulates Blood Oxidative Stress Markers in Rats Exposed to Knee-Joint Immobilization.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of manually assisted lumbar spinal manipulation therapy on tactile allodynia, peripheral nerve functional recovery, and oxidative markers in rats exposed to knee immobilization-inducing hypersensitivity.

Methods: Tactile allodynia and sciatic, tibial, and peroneal functional indices were assessed before the knee joint immobilization, 24 hours after the knee cast removal, and 24 hours after 3 weeks of lumbar therapy with the Activator Adjusting Instrument, model 4 (AAI 4). Subsequently, the blood was collected from each rat, and oxidative markers such as lipid hydroperoxide levels; nitric oxide metabolites; and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were assessed.

Effects of Methanol Fraction from Leaves of Raddi on Nociception and Spinal-Cord Oxidative Biomarkers in Rats with Neuropathic Pain.

We determined the antioxidant potential of fractions obtained from leaves of , a medicinal plant known in Brazil as aroeira, to select the fraction with the best yield and antioxidant performance. These qualities were found in the methanol fraction (MeF), which was administered intraperitoneally (20 mg/kg/day) for 3 and 10 days to rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, a model of neuropathic pain. The MeF increased the mechanical and thermal thresholds that had been lowered by CCI.

Methionine Administration in Pregnant Rats Causes Memory Deficit in the Offspring and Alters Ultrastructure in Brain Tissue.

In the present work, we evaluated the effect of gestational hypermethioninemia on locomotor activity, anxiety, memory, and exploratory behavior of rat offspring through the following behavior tests: open field, object recognition, and inhibitory avoidance. Histological analysis was also done in the brain tissue of pups. Wistar female rats received methionine (2.

The metabolic and neuroinflammatory changes induced by consuming a cafeteria diet are age-dependent.

Objectives: To compare the effects of a palatable cafeteria diet on serum parameters and neuroinflammatory markers of young and aged female Wistar rats.

Methods: Three-month-old (young) and 18-month-old (aged) female Wistar rats had access to a cafeteria diet (Caf-Young, Caf-Aged) or a standard chow diet (Std-Young, Std-Aged).

Results: The Caf-Young group showed a higher food consumption, weight gain, visceral fat depot, serum insulin and leptin levels, and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) than the Std-Young group.

Epitestosterone- and testosterone-replacement in immature castrated rats changes main testicular developmental characteristics.

Epitestosterone is the 17α-epimer of testosterone and has been described as an anti-androgen, since it inhibits the effects produced by testosterone and dihydrotestosterone via the nuclear androgen receptor (nAR). However, epitestosterone also displays an effect which is similar to the non-classical effect of testosterone, depolarizing the membrane potential of Sertoli cells and inducing a rapid Ca uptake. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a treatment with epitestosterone on developmental parameters of immature rats.

Systemic administration of vitamins C and E attenuates nociception induced by chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve in rats.

Antioxidants have been tested to treat neuropathic pain, and α-Tocopherol (vitamin E--vit. E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C--vit. C) are potent antioxidants.

Peripheral oxidative stress blood markers in patients with chronic back or neck pain treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate oxidative-stress parameters in individuals with chronic neck or back pain after 5 weeks of treatment with high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) spinal manipulation.

Methods: Twenty-three individuals aged 38.2 ± 11.

The protective effect of N-acetylcysteine on oxidative stress in the brain caused by the long-term intake of aspartame by rats.

Long-term intake of aspartame at the acceptable daily dose causes oxidative stress in rodent brain mainly due to the dysregulation of glutathione (GSH) homeostasis. N-Acetylcysteine provides the cysteine that is required for the production of GSH, being effective in treating disorders associated with oxidative stress. We investigated the effects of N-acetylcysteine treatment (150 mg kg(-1), i.

Evaluation of peak force of a manually operated chiropractic adjusting instrument with an adapter for use in animals.

Objective: This study was designed to assess the peak force of a manually operated chiropractic adjusting instrument, the Activator Adjusting Instrument 4 (AAI 4), with an adapter for use in animals, which has a 3- to 4-fold smaller contact surface area than the original rubber tip.

Methods: Peak force was determined by thrusting the AAI 4 with the adapter or the original rubber tip onto a load cell. First, the AAI 4 was applied perpendicularly by a doctor of chiropractic onto the load cell.

Effect of N-acetylcysteine on the spinal-cord glutathione system and nitric-oxide metabolites in rats with neuropathic pain.

Since N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a donor of cysteine, we studied the relationship between NAC and concentration of oxidized and reduced glutathione (GSH/GSSG ratio), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities in the lumbosacral spinal cord of rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve that received NAC (150mg/kg/day, i.p.) or 0.

Sciatic nerve transection modulates oxidative parameters in spinal and supraspinal regions.

Neuropathic pain is a very common dysfunction caused by several types of nerve injury. This condition leads to a variety of pathological changes in central nervous system regions related to pain transmission. It has been demonstrated that nociception is modulated by reactive oxidative species and treatments with antioxidant compounds produce antinociceptive effects.

After-effects of consecutive sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in a rat model of chronic inflammation.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) induces cortical excitability changes in animals and humans that can last beyond the duration of stimulation. Preliminary evidence suggests that tDCS may have an analgesic effect; however, the timing of these effects, especially when associated with consecutive sessions of stimulation in a controlled animal experiment setting, has yet to be fully explored. To evaluate the effects of tDCS in inflammatory chronic pain origin immediately and 24 h after the last treatment session, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was injected (100 μl) in the right footpad to induce inflammation.

Assessment of oxidative parameters in rat spinal cord after chronic constriction of the sciatic nerve.

Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in neuropathic pain, the direct relationship between these species and chronic constriction of sciatic nerve (CCI) has not been studied in spinal cord. Thus, this study induced CCI in rats and these animals were sacrificed 3 and 10 days after the surgical procedure to determine the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities, as well as ascorbic acid, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and lipid hydroperoxide levels in lumbosacral spinal cord. Von Frey Hair and hot plate tests were performed to assess the degree of mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia at days 0, 3 and 10.

Effect of high-velocity, low-amplitude treatment on superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in erythrocytes from men with neck pain.

Objective: This study investigates the analgesic effect of high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) manipulation and antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in erythrocytes of men with neck pain.

Methods: Twenty-two men with neck pain of mechanical origin who were aged 20 to 50 years, were nonsmokers, had a sedentary lifestyle, had no comorbidities, and were not in adjuvant therapy underwent 6 sessions of HVLA chiropractic manipulation 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Patients were treated by the same chiropractor and under the same conditions.

Interferential therapy effect on mechanical pain threshold and isometric torque after delayed onset muscle soreness induction in human hamstrings.

This study was undertaken to examine the acute effect of interferential current on mechanical pain threshold and isometric peak torque after delayed onset muscle soreness induction in human hamstrings. Forty-one physically active healthy male volunteers aged 18-33 years were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups: interferential current group (n = 21) or placebo group (n = 20). Both groups performed a bout of 100 isokinetic eccentric maximal voluntary contractions (10 sets of 10 repetitions) at an angular velocity of 1.

Effects of high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation on catalase activity in men with neck pain.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the influence of high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) manipulation on lipid peroxidation and catalase activity in subjects with neck pain who answered the Neck Disability Index and quadruple visual scale questionnaires.

Methods: Twenty-two men (mean age, 38 years) with neck pain were recruited through radio and newspaper advertisements in the local media. Every patient received 6 sessions of HVLA manipulation, 3 times a week for 2 weeks.

Effect of treadmill exercise on serotonin immunoreactivity in medullary raphe nuclei and spinal cord following sciatic nerve transection in rats.

The serotoninergic system modulates nociceptive and locomotor spinal cord circuits. Exercise improves motor function and changes dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and serotonergic central systems. However, the direct relationship between serotonin, peripheral nerve lesion and aerobic treadmill exercise has not been studied.

Sciatic nerve transection increases gluthatione antioxidant system activity and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the spinal cord.

Glutathione (GSH) is a major non-enzymatic antioxidant which is present in all tissues. Its protective actions occur through different pathways such its role as a substrate of antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in many physiological processes in the central nervous system, including nociception.

Increase in reactive oxygen species and activation of Akt signaling pathway in neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain occurs as a result of peripheral or central nervous system injury. Its pathophysiology involves mainly a central sensitization mechanism that may be correlated to many molecules acting in regions involved in pain processing, such as the spinal cord. It has been demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) and signaling molecules, such as the serine/threonine protein kinase Akt, are involved in neuropathic pain mechanisms.

Neuropathic pain modifies antioxidant activity in rat spinal cord.

Oxidative stress is an important pathophysiological mechanism of many neurological diseases. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species have been cited as molecules involved in the nociceptive process. In this study, rats were submitted to sciatic nerve transection (SNT) for induction of neuropathic pain, and enzyme activities of SOD and catalase as well as lipid peroxidation (LPO) were measured in the lumbosacral spinal cord.

Complete sciatic nerve transection induces increase of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in primary sensory neurons and spinal cord of frogs.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was immunohistochemically investigated in the frog spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia after axotomy. In normal ganglia, moderate NPY-like immunoreactivity (NPY-IR) prevailed in large and medium cells. In the spinal cord, the NPY-IR was densest in the dorsal part of the lateral funiculus.