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PubMedID: 23312086 The streptozocin-induced diabetic rat is a model of chronic pain that shows signs of hyperalgesia and allodynia and may replicate signs in diabetic humans. Here we investigated the antinociceptive effects of A803467, a highly selective blocker of Nav1.8 channels, in diabetic rats with painful neuropathy. We systemically (intraperitoneal) or locally (intraplantar) administered A803467 (or lidocaine, a nonselective sodium channel blocker, as a control) to diabetic rats with hyperalgesia and allodynia and then measured thermal latencies and mechanical thresholds. With intraperitoneal administration, A803467 led to 6-fold greater reduction of hyperalgesia and 2-fold greater reduction of allodynia than did lidocaine. Whereas the antihyperalgesic effects of lidocaine and A803467 were similar after intraplantar administration, A803467 (1 mg) was at least 2 times more effective as an antiallodynic than was lidocaine (0.5 mg). These results suggest that compared with lidocaine, systemic or local blockade of Nav1.8 channels by A803467 may more effectively relieve hyperalgesia and allodynia in diabetic neuropathy. Copyright © 2012 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

Plant species have different uses in different countries as well as different areas of the same country (Farnsworth and Soejarto 1991; Plotkin 2000; Hamilton 2004; Halberstein 2005). The relationship between humans and plants has existed since the existence of human beings, and the earliest documented record dates from the Paleolithic age (50,000 BC); plants were found in the grave of a Neanderthal man in the southern part of Hakkari (far southeast edge of Turkey) (Baytop 1984, 1999). © 2012 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

With its extraordinary properties, plant life appeared millions of years ago on our planet. Nature has bestowed upon plants active molecules with natural af’nities with the human body. As such, it is not surprising that the’rst humans found remedies for their aches by using plants (Plotkin 2000). This laid the foundation of ethnobotany in senso lato and phytotherapy in senso stricto. The fastdeveloping interdisciplinary’eld of ethnobotany is the study of the uses, conservation, and general economic as well as sociological importance of plants in human societies in the past and present (Baser, Honda, and Miki 1986; Ozturk and Ozcelik 1991; Baser 2002; Bonjar-Shaidi 2004). © 2012 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Nothing is known about actions of levobupivacaine, a long-acting local anaesthetic belonging to the amino amide group, in diabetes-induced neuropathic pain conditions. In this study, we therefore investigated the possible antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic effects of levobupivacaine in diabetic animal model. Actions of systemically (intraperitoneal) or locally (intraplantar) administrated levobupivacaine on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with painful neuropathy were examined using a thermal plantar test and a dynamic plantar aesthesiometer. Effects of levobupivacaine were compared with those of a well-known amide local anaesthetic lidocaine. Levobupivacaine was more potent than lidocaine in all tests employed on diabetic rats. After intraperitoneal injections to diabetic rats, levobupivacaine, but not lidocaine, produced pronounced antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic effects. However, intraplantar administration of both levobupivacaine and lidocaine produced antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic action in diabetic rats. In contrast to the transient effects of lidocaine (30 min), antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic actions of levobupivacaine gradually disappeared within 120 min after intraplantar injections. Intraperitoneal or intraplantar administrations of levobupivacaine or lidocaine at the effective dose had no effect on any parameters in intact rats. Findings revealed that antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic potency of levobupivacaine was higher in comparison with that of lidocaine after their intraperitoneal or intraplantar administration to diabetic animals. Furthermore, locally administrated levobupivacaine has the greatest antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic actions in diabetic rats. 2011 The Authors. © 2011 The Authors Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology.

An increase in the use of medicinal plants in Europe has resulted in a parallel development in this direction in Turkey. A large number of flowering plants as well as mushrooms collected with this aim from the wild are sold at the markets or consumed by the public directly after collection. Many times consumption of such plants in particular mushrooms as a whole or parts thereof produce a poisonous effect and even prove fatal. More than 50 poisonous taxa are widely distributed in West Anatolia, 20 of these being mushrooms. This paper enlightens the ethnoecological features of these poisonous taxa. © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2008.

PubMedID: 17560568 Ion channels are fundamental to the correct functioning of nerves. A high density of Nav channels at nodes of Ranvier is crucial for generating sufficient local current to initiate a self-regenerating action potential. Kv7 (KCNQ) channels are also functional components of nodes of Ranvier and contribute to the repolarization of the action potential. Paranodes underlying the paranodal loops have no channels whereas Kv1.1 and Kv1.2 channels cluster at juxtaparanodes. The disruption of the normal balance of different channels causes the inappropriate nerve activity that underlies a variety of nervous system diseases. Axonal voltage-dependent channels, nodal Nav and juxtaparanodal Kv channels disperse after the nerve injury and reorganize with regeneration. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Works in the authors' laboratory has been supported by grants from The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and Research Foundation of Cukurova University. I thank Prof Marshall Devor for critical reading of this manuscript and encouragement.

PubMedID: 16878404 The myelinated axon can be divided into three domains: the internodal axon, the paranodal axon and the nodal axon. The internodal axolemma contains high concentrations of K+ channels that are enriched in the juxtaparanodal region, whereas Na+ channels cluster in the node. This molecular organization of the myelinated axon membrane is critically important for the rapid and successful transmission of electrical impulses. The juxtaparanodal K+ channels are believed to be electrically inactive in adult peripheral nerves, but experiments with blocking drugs and genetic deletion have shown that they may serve important functions at earlier developmental stages, and during remyelination and regeneration. © Freund & Pettman, U.K. SBAG-2554 The author thanks Dr. Ismail Gunay for advice and critical assessment of the manuscript, and the many investigators whose work is reviewed here. Work in the author's laboratory has been supported by grants from the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (SBAG-2554) and Research Foundation of Cukurova University.

PubMedID: 15791498 Abnormal impulses in peripheral nerves play a critical role in neuropathic pain syndromes. The voltage-gated Na+ channels that underlie the action potential are main targets for clinically useful drugs in the pain therapy. Systemic tramadol has been shown to have clinical efficacy against some forms of neuropathic pain. Therefore, we investigated the mechanisms of action of tramadol by an in vitro model by sucrose-gap technique. Tramadol produced concentration-dependent and frequency-dependent decrements in CAP amplitude. Also, injured nerves were more sensitive to tramadol. Tramadol decreased the amplitude of the delayed depolarization and the hyperpolarizing afterpotentials. In conclusion, blocking potencies of small concentration tramadol on the delayed depolarization and hyperpolarizing afterpotential in regeneration period may be contributed for understanding of the action mechanisms of tramadol on neuropathic pain therapy.

WOS: 000430156300004, We study on Fibonacci and Lucas generalized octonions over the algebra O(a, b, c) where a, b and c are real numbers. We obtain Binet formulas for the Fibonacci and Lucas generalized octonions. Also, we give many identities for these octonions including Catalan's identity, Cassini's identity and d'Ocagne's identity.