RESUMO
Neuropathic pain (NP) is caused by a lesion that triggers pain chronification and central sensitization and it can develop in a different manner, dependent of age. Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for treating NP. Then, we aimed to investigate the effects of tDCS and BDNF levels in neuropathic pain rats in development, with 30 days old in the beginning of experiments. Eight-five male Wistar rats were subjected to chronic constriction injury. After establishment of NP, bimodal tDCS was applied to the rats for eight consecutive days, for 20 minutes each session. Subsequently, nociceptive behavior was assessed at baseline, 14 days after surgery, 1 day and 7 days after the end of tDCS. The rats were sacrificed 8 days after the last session of tDCS. An increase in the nociceptive threshold was observed in rats in development 1 day after the end of tDCS (short-term effect), but this effect was not maintained 7 days after the end of tDCS (long-term effect). Furthermore, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were analyzed in the frontal cortex, spinal cord and serum using ELISA assays. The neuropathic pain model showed an effect of BDNF in the spinal cord of rats in development. There were no effects of BNDF levels of pain or tDCS in the frontal cortex or serum. In conclusion, tDCS is an effective technique to relieve nociceptive behavior at a short-term effect in neuropathic pain rats in development, and BDNF levels were not altered at long-term effect.
RESUMO
O malondialdeído (MDA) é um importante biomarcador utilizado na avaliação do estresse oxidativo. O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver uma metodologia para a quantificação plasmática de MDA, através de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detecção por arranjo de diodos (CLAE-DAD), após processo de derivatização com 2,4-dinitrofenilhidrazina (DNPH), avaliando as principais variáveis pré-analíticas. A curva de calibração em plasma (0 a 40 µM) apresentou elevada linearidade (r²=0,998). Os principais parâmetros de validação foram: recuperação absoluta: 78 por cento; limite de detecção: 0,11 µM e limite de quantificação: 0,38 µM. Os valores de MDA determinados em indivíduos adultos saudáveis (n=38) foram 3,31 ± 0,38 µM (média ± DP). Estudos de estabilidade do padrão de MDA, reagente derivatizante e MDA plasmáticos, indicaram que a solução padrão pode ser armazenada a -20 e 4 ºC.
Malondialdehyde (MDA) is an important biomarker for the evaluation of oxidative stress status. The aim of this study was to develop a method for plasma MDA quantification by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD), following derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH), evaluating the main preanalytical variables. The calibration curve in plasma (0 to 40 µM) presented high linearity (r² = 0.998). Main validation parameters were: recovery: 78 percent; LOD: 0.11 µM and LOQ: 0.38 µM. The MDA values obtained in healthy volunteers (n=38) were 3.31 ± 0.38 µM (mean ± SD). Stability studies of MDA standard solution and derivatizing reagent and plasma MDA indicated that the standard solution can be stored at -20 and 4 ºC, remaining stable for at least 30 days.