Applications of Rat Grimace Scale Method in Postoperative Pain Management in Rats

Introduction: Nowadays, 3R (replacement, reduction, refinement) concept lies in the core of laboratory animals science, one of the most important refinement strategies being the pain control. Rat Grimace Scale (RGS) is an actual and effective method used to assess pain in laboratory animals.Aims: The purpose of this study was to find the most effective post surgery analgesic protocol, by grading the changes in the animal’s facial expression.Materials and methods: In the present study we used 5 Wistar rats, as a pain model, ovariectomy was performed on 4 of the rats. Tramadol was administrated subcutaneously as it follows: 1 rat in pre-surgery dose of 25 mg/kg, 2 rats in post-surgery a dose of 25 mg/kg and respectively 50 mg/kg. The evaluation of pain was done across at the time 0, 2, 4 and 6 hours post-surgery using the scores of 0, 1 and 2, 0 representing the absence of pain, 1 a moderate level of pain and 2 a high level of pain.Results: The results of the study revealed that the spayed rat without Tramadol presented the highest level of pain (1.25 - 1.75). The pre-surgery analgesia enhanced the narcosis effect, but analgesia had a short term effect, with a moderate to high level of pain (1 - 1.5). To the animal treated with a dose of 25 mg/kg post-surgery, a moderate pain level was observed (0.5 - 1.25) and to the animal with the highest dose an optimal analgesia was determined (0.25).Conclusion: The expected analgesic effect was put forward by the 50 mg/kg dose of Tramadol and the RGS method was found to be suitable for the assessment of animal suffering in surgical experimental procedures

Cannabidiol, from Past to Present: a Review

The cannabis plant contains the naturally occurring substance cannabidiol, also known as CBD. As opposed to its more widely known relative, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), does not possess any psychoactive or euphoria-inducing properties, and is widely regarded as harmless and nonaddictive. Due to its alleged medicinal advantages, which are thought to include pain relief, anxiety reduction, epilepsy management and anti-inflammatory characteristics, CBD has attracted a lot of attention in recent years, in both human and veterinary medicine. The different kinds of CBD products available include oils, tinctures, capsules, lotions, and even edibles in the form of cookies and candy. In the field of veterinary medicine, the use of CBD has become more and more prevalent in recent years, and a formulation of treats for dogs and cats containing varying quantities of cannabidiol have been put on the market. Despite growing in popularity, CBD's legal status is still a little hazy in many nations, and more study is required to fully comprehend both its advantages and disadvantages. This article aims to review CBD’s history, mechanisms of action, potential therapeutic roles as well as adverse effects that have been encountered thus far in clinical studies

The Effects of Cannabidiol on Canine Epilepsy and Arthritis – a Case Study

Cannabidiol oil (CBD) has gained notoriety in recent years due to its effectiveness as an adjuvant therapy in many pathologies.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of CBD in the management of pain and the associated pathologies of epilepsy and arthritis, on a single subject, a female Labrador, 12.5 years old at the beginning of the study. The therapeutic protocol used was the administration of CBD oil, sublingually, in doses of 2.25 mg/kg/day. Hematology and biochemistry were performed at 3, 6 and 12 months. Radiology was performed before the study began and after 6 months.After the first month, a decrease in the number and severity of epilepsy crises was observed. Beginning with the first 2 weeks of CBD oil administration, the patient was already experiencing an improvement in her mobility along with general pain remittance and the amelioration of her 3rd degree lameness, quantified by the Colorado Pain Scale. After 5 months of CBD administration, with no seizures recorded, phenytoin therapy was ceased. After 8 months, phenobarbital was also excluded from the therapeutic protocol, thus making CBD an independent the rapeutic molecule. CBD appears to be a useful molecule in managing both pain and epilepsy

The Study of Nutraceutical Effects of the Whey Zonar and of Lyophilized Concentrate Obtained from Zonar in C26 Colon Carcinoma Grafted Subcutaneously in Balb/C Mice

This paper investigates the nutraceutical properties of the whey Zonar and of lyophilized concentrate obtained from Zonar in C26 tumor bearing BALB/C mice. The experiment was conducted on 30 female mice, divided into 6 groups (n=5). Groups 4, 5 and 6 were injected subcutaneously with 1*106 C26 carcinoma cells. Groups 2,3, 5 and 6 received a diet based on Zonar products. The evolution of body mass and tumor volume was assessed weekly. At the end of the 21-day study, blood samples for hematological, biochemical and oxidative stress analysis were drawn and tumor tissue samples were collected for histopathological examination. After 21 days, a significant in vivo reduction of the tumor volume in groups 5 and 6 was recorded. The biochemical analysis showed Zonar's protective muscular effects, due to decreases of the creatine-kinase level in groups 5 and 6. Further investigations revealed an increased level of glutathione in all groups which received Zonar, eliciting its antioxidant potential. Histopathologically, increased necrotic areas highlighted the anti-tumoral effect of the synergism between Zonar and the lyophilized concentrate. The results of this experiment implies that whey Zonar & the lyophilized whey prevents tumor cachexia, as well as other cancer associated adverse effects

Arany nanorészecskéket tartalmazó bioaktív üveg – biopolimér kompozítok előállítása, jellemzése és alkalmazhatósága: Synthesis, characterization and applicability of bioactive glass – biopolymer composites with gold nanoparticles

Considering that the median age of our population is increasing, bone disorders or skin regeneration problems are of significant concern. The bioactive glass-biopolymer composites are materials with real potential to be used in tissue engineering. It is well-known, that the bioactive glasses (BG) can lead the promotion of growth of granulation tissue. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; ~20 nm) can induced the acceleration of wound healing including tissue regeneration, connective tissue regeneration and angiogenesis. It was demonstrated that the AuNPs in the sol-gel derived glass structure retain their properties. Alginate-pullulan (Alg-Pll) composites have good bioactivity and in vivo qualities in terms of bone regeneration. The goal of this study was to obtain the functional composites for future tissue engineering applications using BG with AuNPs introduced in Alg-Pll composites. After structural and morphological characterization of the composites, in vitro and in vivo bioactivity and biocompatibility were evaluated. The obtained results suggest that the obtained composites are materials for future soft tissue and bone engineering applications.  Kivonat A várható élettartam növekedésével egyre növekszik azon betegek száma, amelyek ortopédiai vagy bőr rekonstrukcióra szorulnak. A bioaktív üveg-biopolimer kompozitok potenciálisan alkalmazható anyagok a szövettani sebészetben. Ismert dolog, hogy a bioaktív üvegek (BG) elősegítik a granulációs szövetek növekedését. Az arany nanorészecskék (AuNPs; ~20 nm) gyorsítják a sebgyógyulást beleértve angiogenézist, a szövetek és kötőszövet regenerálódását. Tudjuk, hogy a szól-gél módszerrel előállított üveg szerkezetben bevitt AuNPs képes megőrizni ezen tulajdonságait. Az alginát-pullulán (kompozitok) remek bioaktivitásuknak köszönhetően aktívan részt vesznek az in vivo csont regenerálódásban. A tanulmány célja, hogy olyan funkcionális kompozitokat hozzunk létre, amelyek alkalmazhatók a szövettani sebészetben. Ehhez az Alg-Pll kompozitokban AuNPs tartalmazó BG vittünk be, majd szerkezeti és morfológiai jellemzéseket végeztünk. Ezt követtően az in vitro és in vivo bioaktivitás, valamint biokompatibilitást vizsgáltuk. A kapott eredmények azt sugallják, hogy az előállított kompozitok megfelelnek a lágyrész- és csonttechnikai alkalmazás elvárásainak

Systemic and Local Biocompatibility Assessment of Graphene Composite Dental Materials in Experimental Mandibular Bone Defect

The main objective of this research is to demonstrate the biocompatibility of two experimental graphene dental materials by in vitro and in vivo tests for applications in dentistry. The novel graphene dental materials, including one restorative composite and one dental cement, were subjected to cytotoxicity and implantation tests by using a rat model of a non-critical mandibular defect. In vitro cytotoxicity induced by materials on human dental follicle stem cells (restorative composite) and dysplastic oral keratinocytes (dental cement) was investigated at 37 °C for 24 h. After in vivo implantation, at 7 weeks, bone samples were harvested and subjected to histological investigations. The plasma biochemistry, oxidative stress, and sub-chronic organ toxicity analysis were also performed. The resulting cytotoxicity tests confirm that the materials had no toxic effects against dental cells after 24 h. Following graphene dental materials implantation, the animals did not present any symptoms of acute toxicity or local inflammation. No alterations were detected in relative organ weights and in correlation with hepatic and renal histological findings. The materials’ lack of systemic organ toxicity was confirmed. The outcomes of our study provided further evidence on the graphene dental materials’ ability for bone regeneration and biocompatibility

THE STUDY AND METHODS USED TO INDUCE OBESITY IN LABORATORY ANIMALS: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL CONCERNS

Obesity is defined as a body mass index of over 30 kg / m2 and represents a significant health risk because it increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, stroke and colon cancer. The study of the mechanisms by which obesity induces physiological dysfunctions can be facilitated by the use of an animal experimental model. Induction of obesity in laboratory animals can be accomplished by administering monosodium glutamate that causes lesion of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, by administering hypercaloric diets and using genetically modified rodents. The animal model should reproduce the genesis of obesity and its pathophysiological mechanisms encountered in humans. In the obesity study, hormonal parameters such as leptin and adiponectin can be quantified, also the degree of differentiation of adipose tissue in brown or white and anthropometric measurements, such as: Body Mass Index (BMI), Obesity Index (OI), and Specific Weight Gain Rates (g / kg) are performed

How does the structure of pullulan alginate composites change in the biological environment?

Alginate and pullulan are two polysaccharides with numerous applications in the field of biomedical sciences such as wound dressing, soft and hard tissue regeneration. These materials come into contact with the human body for various time intervals, depending on their intended use. In this study, alginate-pullulan composites were synthesized and assayed in vitro as follows: bioactivity, biodegradability, swelling ratio, and biocompatibility. After 2 weeks of immersion in simulated body fluid, calcium oxalate appeared on the surface of the composites near the apatite layer. The in vitro biocompatibility assay using human fibroblastic and osteoblastic cell lines showed encouraging results; therefore, the polymeric composite proved to be non-toxic and safe for further in vivo testing. This was also reinforced by cell proliferation, necrosis, apoptosis, and surface adhesion tests. The most promising results were obtained with the composite that was prepared using an alginate: pullulan weight ratio of 1:0.75. Applying this ratio caused cellular growth on the surface of the biomaterial. The applicability of composites was limited by the appearance of calcium oxalate. However, this phenomenon could be prevented by introducing an inorganic component into the alginate-pullulan composites, such as bioactive glass.[GRAPHICS]