Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on rats with the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at local or distant acupuncture points in a rat model of the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome. METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, model plus local acupuncture point stimulation at BL23 (model+LAS) and model plus distant acupuncture point stimulation at ST36 (model+DAS) groups. All rats except controls underwent surgical third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome modelling on day 2. Thereafter, rats in the model+LAS and model+DAS groups were treated daily with TENS for a total of six treatments (2/100 Hz, 30 min/day) from day 16 to day 29. Thermal pain thresholds were measured once a week during treatment and were continued until day 57, when local muscle tissue was sampled for RT-PCR and histopathological examination after haematoxylin and eosin staining. mRNA expression of interleukin-1 ß (IL-1ß), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was determined. RESULTS: Thermal pain thresholds of all model rats decreased relative to the control group. Both LAS and DAS significantly increased the thermal pain threshold at all but one point during the treatment period. Histopathological assessment revealed that the local muscle tissues around the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process recovered to some degree in both the model+LAS and model+DAS groups; however, LAS appeared to have a greater effect. mRNA expression of IL-1ß, TNF-α and iNOS in the local muscle tissues was increased after modelling and attenuated in both model+LAS and model+DAS groups. The beneficial effect was greater after LAS than after DAS. CONCLUSIONS: TENS at both local (BL23) and distant (ST36) acupuncture points had a pain-relieving effect in rats with the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome, and LAS appeared to have greater anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects than DAS. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 09073.

Preparation and antitumor effects of glaucocalyxin A-γ-cyclodextrin clathrate.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the water solubility of glaucocalyxin A (GLA) by the preparation of glaucocalyxin A γ-cyclodextrin clathrate (GLA-γ-CD) and to investigate the inhibitory effect of GLA-γ-CD on tumor growth in S180 cell xenografts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GLA-γ-CD, γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) and GLA were combined at a mass ratio of 1:1, dissolved in 60°C water by stirring. GLA completely entrapped by the γ-CD was verified by differential thermal analysis, the GLA content was determined. Phase solubility, solubility, and in vitro dissolution rate experiments were performed. The S180 xenograft mouse model was used to observe the tumor inhibitory effects of GLA-γ-CD and GLA, and the TUNEL assay was used to detect differences in their rates of tumor cell apoptosis induction. RESULTS: After combination with γ-CD, the solubility of GLA-γ-CD was 21.78-fold greater than that of GLA. The in vitro dissolution rate of GLA-γ-CD was significantly greater than that of GLA, and reached more than 90% in 20 min. Furthermore, GLA-γ-CD was more effective than GLA as an inhibitor of S180 tumor cells; the inhibitory rate of the high-dose group reached 57.26%, which was 54.11% greater than the inhibitory rate of the GLA group at the same dose. In addition, GLA-γ-CD induced tumor cell apoptosis more effectively than did GLA. CONCLUSION: The water solubility of GLA significantly increased in combination with γ-CD resulting in the production of GLA-γ-CD. Furthermore, GLA-γ-CD was more effective than GLA as an inducer of S180 tumor cell apoptosis and an inhibitor of tumor growth.