RESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neuropathic pain is one of the most common types of chronic pain that is very difficult to treat. Numerous studies have shown the potential role of vitamins in relieving both hyperalgesia and allodynia. Based on the convincing evidence, this study was designed to evaluate the possible antinociceptive effect of biotin on neuropathic pain in rats. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: This study was performed on male Sprague Dawley rats weighing 200-300 g. Neuropathic pain was induced by tying the sciatic nerve. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve resulted in hyperalgesia and allodynia. To measure the thermal hyperalgesia, the plantar test was used. Also to evaluate the cold and mechanical allodynia, acetone test and von Frey test were applied. Biotin (4, 8, and 16 mg/kg) was administered orally as two different treatment regimens, acute and chronic. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Acute oral administration of biotin (4, 8, and 16 mg/kg p.o.) on the 7th, 14th, and 21st postoperative days couldn't reduce pain sensitivity compared to the CCI group. However, following the oral administration of biotin (8 and 16 mg/kg p.o.) from the first day after the surgery until day 21, mechanical allodynia (P < 0.001) and heat hyperalgesia (P < 0.05) significantly relieved. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our results suggest that biotin can be considered as a potential therapeutic for the treatment of neuropathic pain, and supplementation with this vitamin could reduce the required doses of analgesic drugs. However, further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition of pancreas with sudden onset, high mortality rate and multiple organ failure characteristics. It has been shown that oxygen free radicals have an important role in development of pancreatitis and its complications. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxicity and gastroprotective properties of Cichorium intybus L. suggest that this plant may have beneficial effects in the management of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Five intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cerulean (50 µg/ kg at 1 h intervals) in mice resulted in acute pancreatitis, which was characterized by edema, neutrophil infiltration, as well as increases in the serum levels of amylase and lipase in comparison to normal mice. Different doses of C. intybus root (CRE) and aerial parts hydroalcoholic extract (CAPE) orally (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) and intraperitoneally (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) were administrated 1.0 and 0.5 h respectively before pancreatitis induction on separate groups of male mice (n=6). Control groups treated with normal saline (5 ml/ kg) similarly. RESULTS: Both extracts in greater test doses (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) were effective to decrease amylase (23-36%) and lipase (27-35%) levels. In oral route, the dose of 200 mg/ kg showed a significant decrease in levels of amylase (16%) and lipase (24%) activity while the greatest dose (200 mg/kg, i.p.) was only effective to diminish inflammatory features like edema and leukocyte infiltration in pancreatitis tissue (P<0.01). Vacuolization was not significantly reduced in extracts treated groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that C. intybus hydroalcoholic extracts were effective to protect against experimental acute pancreatitis and the efficacy was partly dependent to the dose and was more significant after parenteral administration.
