• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.240-251
• /
• 2004

Objective: We have studied to know effects of acupuncture at SI3, BL40, SI3 BL40 on mechnical allodynia, cold allodynia and c-fos protein expression in a model of neuropathic pain of rat. Methods: A model of neuropathic pain was made by injuring tibial nerve and sural nerve while common peroneal nerve was maintained. after 2 weeks, we performed behavioral tests for 7 days to try out mechnical allodynia using von frey filament and cold allodynia using acetone, which are calculated by counting withdrawal response on foot. Rat brains removed and sliced on 8th days. Serial sections were immunohistochemically reacted with polyclonal c-fos antibody. The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons in the central gray were examined using scion image program. Results: Mechanical allodynia in the SI3, BL40, SI3 BL40 groups were diminished compared with the control group. Cold allodynia in the SI3, BL40, SI3 BL40 groups were diminished compared with the control group. c-Fos protein expression on the central gray in the SI3 group were lower than that of the control group. Conclusions: We have noticed that acupuncture at SI3, BL40, SI3 BL40 diminished mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia in a model of neuropathic pain compared with the control group. c- Fos protein expression in the central gray of that group was also decreased compared with the control group. pain control using acupunture was accumulated as time goes by. This study can be used as a basic resource on a study and a treatment of pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.266-269
• /
• 2016

The superficial peroneal nerve is vulnerable to damage from ankle sprain injuries and fractures as well as surgery to this region. And it is also one of the most commonly involved nerves in complex regional pain syndrome type II in the foot and ankle region. We report two cases of ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment of superficial peroneal nerve for reduction of allodynia in CRPS patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.135-141
• /
• 2013

Background: Although paclitaxel is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of solid cancers, side effects such as neuropathic pain lead to poor compliance and discontinuation of the therapy. Ethyl pyruvate (EP) is known to have analgesic effects in several pain models and may inhibit apoptosis. The present study was designed to investigate the analgesic effects of EP on mechanical allodynia and apoptosis in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells after paclitaxel administration. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: 1) a control group, which received only vehicle; 2) a paclitaxel group, which received paclitaxel; and 3) an EP group, which received EP after paclitaxel administration. Mechanical allodynia was tested before and at 7 and 14 days after final paclitaxel administration. Fourteen days after paclitaxel treatment, DRG apoptosis was determined by activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity (IR). Results: Post-treatment with EP did not significantly affect paclitaxel-induced allodynia, although it tended to slightly reduce sensitivities to mechanical stimuli after paclitaxel administration. After paclitaxel administration, an increase in caspase-3 IR in DRG cells was observed, which was co-localized with NF200-positive myelinated neurons. Post-treatment with EP decreased the paclitaxel-induced caspase-3 IR. Paclitaxel administration or post-treatment with EP did not alter the glial fibrillary acidic protein IRs in DRG cells. Conclusions: Inhibition of apoptosis in DRG neurons by EP may not be critical in paclitaxel-induced mechanical allodynia.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.183-187
• /
• 2008

Nerve injury can lead to neuropathic pain, which is often resistant to current analgesics and interventional therapeutic methods. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) plays important role in the induction of neuropathic pain. We explored the antinociceptive effect of curcumin and its effect on ERK in the spinal cord in the neuropathic pain model of rats induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. In injured rats, mechanical allodynia, which is one of characteristics of neuropathic pain developed and the activation of ERK in spinal cord significantly increased compared with control group. However, administration of curcumin (50 mg/kg/day p.o) for 7 days started from one day before the injury prevented the development of mechanical allodynia and increase of ERK phosphorylation. These results indicate that curcumin can be a new therapeutic agent in the treatment of neuropathic pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.210-215
• /
• 2009

Background: Several studies have indicated that a nerve injury enhances the expression of the voltage-gated calcium channel ${\alpha}2{\delta}1$ subunit (Cav ${\alpha}2{\delta}1$) in sensory neurons and the dorsal spinal cord. This study examined whether NMDA receptor activation is essential for Cav ${\alpha}2{\delta}1$-mediated tactile allodynia in Cav ${\alpha}2{\delta}1$ overexpressing transgenic mice and L5/6 spinal nerve ligated rats (SNL). These two models show similar Cav ${\alpha}2{\delta}1$ upregulation and behavioral hypersensitivity, without and with the presence of other injury factors, respectively. Methods: The transgenic (TG) mice were generated as described elsewhere (Feng et al., 2000). The left L5/6 spinal nerves in the Harlan Sprague Dawley rats were ligated tightly (SNL) to induce neuropathic pain, as described by Kim et al. (1992). Memantine 2 mg/kg (10 ul) was injected directly into the L5/6 spinal region followed by $10{\mu}l$ saline. Tactile allodynia was tested for any mechanical hypersensitivity. Results: The tactile allodynia in the SNL rats could be reversed by an intrathecal injection of memantine 2 mg/kg at 1.5 hours. The tactile allodynia in the Cav ${\alpha}2{\delta}1$ over-expressing TG mice could be reversed by an intrathecal injection of memantine 2 mg/kg at 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 hours. Conclusions: The behavioral hypersensitivity was similar in the TG mice and nerve injury pain model, supporting the hypothesis that elevated Cav ${\alpha}2{\delta}1$ mediates similar pathways that underlie the pain states in both models. The selective activation of spinal NMDA receptors plays a key role in mediating the pain states in both the nerve-injury rats and TG mice.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.109-113
• /
• 2011

Objective : Peripheral neuropathy is characterized by hyperalgesia, spontaneous burning pain, and allodynia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rolipram, a phosphodiesterase-4-specific inhibitor, in a segmental spinal nerve ligation model in rats. Methods : Both the L5 and L6 spinal nerves of the left side of the rats were ligated. Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor (rolipram) and saline (vehicle) were administered intraperitoneally. We measured mechanical allodynia using von Frey filaments and a nerve conduction study. Results : The mechanical allodynia, which began to manifest on the first day, peaked within 2 days. Multiple intraperitoneal injections of rolipram ameliorated the mechanical allodynia. Furthermore, an intraperitoneal administration of rolipram improved the development of pain behavior and nerve conduction velocity. Conclusion : This study suggests that the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, rolipram, alleviates mechanical allodynia induced by segmental spinal nerve ligation in rats. This finding may have clinical implications.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.67-77
• /
• 2005

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine if Bee Venom Acupuncture may be effective to the neuropathic pain(mechanical allodynia, cold allodynia) in a rat model of neuropathic pain. Methods : To produce the model of neuropathic pain, under isoflurane 2.5% anesthesia, tibial nerve and sural nerve was resected. After the neuropathic surgery, the author examined if the animals exhibited the behavioral signs of alloynia. The allodynia was assessed by stimulating the medial malleolus with von Frey filament and acetone. Three weeks after the neuropathic surgery, Bee Venom Acupuncture was injected at Hwando(GB30) one time a day for one week. After that, the author examined the withdrawl response of neuropathic rats' legs by yon Frey filament and acetone stimulation. And also the author examined c-Fos in the midbrain central gray of neuropathic rats and the change of WBC count in the blood of neuropathic rats. Results : The Bee Venom Acupuncture injected Hwando(GB30) decreased the withdrawl response of mechanical allodynia in BV-2, BV-3 group as compared with control group. The Bee Venom Acupuncture injected Hwando(GB30) decreased the withdrawl response of chemical allodynia(cold allodynia) in BV-2, BV-3 group as compared with control group. The Bee Venom Acupuncture injected Hwando(GB30) showed the significant difference between control group and BV-2 group, control group and BV-3 group in the c-Fos expression and U count. Conclusion : We have noticed that Bee Venom Acupuncture at Hwando(GB30) decreased mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia in the model of neuropathic pain compared with the control group. C-Fos expression in the central gray of that group was also decreased compared with the control group. Psin control using Bee Venom Acupuncture was accumulated as time goes by. This study can be used as a basic resource on a study and a treatment of pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.213-220
• /
• 2012

Background: It has been demonstrated that the expression of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and apoptotic cell death in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) following spinal nerve constriction injury play a role in the initiation and continuation of hyperalgesia and allodynia. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of ethyl pyruvate (EP) on mechanical and cold allodynia, TNF-${\alpha}$ expression, and apoptosis in DRG after spinal nerve ligation injury. Methods: Rats were divided into 3 groups: control, pre-EP, and post-EP. EP (50 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected 30 minutes before (pre-EP) or after (post-EP) surgery. Behavioral tests to determine mechanical and cold allodynia were conducted before surgery and 4 and 7 days after surgery. Seven days after surgery, TNF-${\alpha}$ protein levels in DRG were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and DRG apoptosis was determined by immunohistochemical detection of activated caspase-3. Results: Treatment with EP significantly reduced mechanical and cold allodynia following spinal nerve ligation injury. TNF-${\alpha}$ protein levels in the pre-EP ($4.7{\pm}1.2$ pg/200 ${\mu}g$; P < 0.001) and post-EP ($6.4{\pm}1.8$ pg/200 ${\mu}g$; P < 0.001) groups were 2-3 times lower than the control group ($14.4{\pm}1.2$ pg/200 ${\mu}g$). The percentages of neurons and satellite cells that co-localized with caspase-3 were also significantly lower in the pre-EP and post-EP groups than the control group. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that EP has a strong anti-allodynic effect that acts through the inhibition of TNF-${\alpha}$ expression and apoptosis in DRG after spinal nerve ligation injury.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.82-90
• /
• 2004

Background: Gabapentin is widely used for the relief of neuropathic pain. But, there is no study of gabapentin in relation to traumatic neuropathic pain. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of gabapentin for the various clinical symptoms of traumatic neuropathic pain Materials and Methods: 50 patients with traumatic nerve injury were assigned to receive gabapentin, titrated to 900 mg/day over 9 days, followed by further increases to a maximum of 2400 mg/day. Continuous pain, paroxysmal pain, allodynia and thermal evoked pain were measured in mean daily pain scores, based on the 11-point Likert scale. The primary efficacy parameter was compared from the baseline to the final study week. Results: Over the 4.5 week study, this pain score decreased by 2.6 points in the continuous pain, 3.6 points in the paroxysmal pain, 3.1 points in the allodynia, and 2.5 points in the thermal evoked pain. The percentage of patients with over 50% improvement in pain scores was 33% in the continuous pain, 67% in the paroxysmal pain, 53% in the allodynia and 36% in the thermal evoked pain. There was no significant correlation between the effect of gabapentin and the time difference of the onset of symptoms and start of medication. Conclusions: This study shows that gabapentin reduced neuropathic pain in patients with traumatic peripheral nerve injury. Among the various characteristics of neuropathic pain, the reduction of paroxysmal pain and allodynia was greatest.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.59-65
• /
• 2022

Background: There is still unmet need in treating neuropathic pain and increasing awareness regarding the use of drug combinations to increase the effectiveness of treatment and reduce adverse effects in patients with neuropathic pain. Methods: This study was performed to determine the individual and combined effects of pregabalin, tianeptine, and clopidogrel in a rat model of neuropathic pain. The model was created by ligation of the L5-L6 spinal nerve in male Sprague-Dawley rats; mechanical allodynia was confirmed using von Frey filaments. Drugs were administered to the intrathecal space and mechanical allodynia was assessed; drug interactions were estimated by isobolographic or fixed-dose analyses. Results: Intrathecal pregabalin and tianeptine increased the mechanical withdrawal threshold in a dose-dependent manner, but intrathecal clopidogrel had little effect on the mechanical withdrawal threshold. An additive effect was noted between pregabalin and tianeptine, but not between pregabalin and clopidogrel. Conclusions: These findings suggest that intrathecal coadministration of pregabalin and tianeptine effectively attenuated mechanical allodynia in the rat model of neuropathic pain. Thus, pregabalin plus tianeptine may be a valid option to enhance the efficacy of neuropathic pain treatment.