Spine-Adjusting Instrument (Impulse®) Attenuates Nociception and Modulates Oxidative Stress Markers in the Spinal Cord and Sciatic Nerve of a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain

Abstract

Objective Oxidative stress plays an important role in neuropathic pain. Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) can exert beneficial effects in pain outcomes in humans and animal models. SMT can also modulate oxidative stress markers in both humans and animals. We aimed to determine the effect of Impulse®-assisted SMT (ISMT) on nociception and oxidative stress biomarkers in the spinal cord and sciatic nerve of rats with neuropathic pain (NP). Methods NP was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Animals were randomly assigned to naive, sham (rats with sciatic nerve exposure but without ligatures) and CCI, with and without ISMT. ISMT was applied onto the skin area corresponding to the spinous process of L4-L5, 3 times/week, for 2 weeks. Mechanical threshold, latency to paw withdrawal to thermal stimulus and oxidative stress biomarkers in spinal cord and sciatic nerve were the main outcomes evaluated. Results ISMT significantly increased mechanical threshold and withdrawal latency after CCI. In the spinal cord, ISMT prevented the increase of pro-oxidative superoxide anion generation and hydrogen peroxide levels. Lipid hydroperoxide levels both in the spinal cord and in the sciatic nerve were attenuated by ISMT. Total antioxidant capacity increased in the spinal cord and sciatic nerve of CCI rats with and without ISMT. CCI and ISMT did not significantly change the total thiol content of the spinal cord. Conclusions Our findings suggest reduced oxidative stress in the spinal cord and/or nerve may be an important mechanism underlying a therapeutic effect of SMT to manage NP non-pharmacologically.

Exploring the Mechanism of Immediate Analgesia Induced by Tuina Intervention on Minor Chronic Constriction Injury in Rats Using LC-MS

“…MWL and TWL are typical behavioral tests for assessing sensory recovery after sciatic nerve injury in rats. 42 Therefore, MWL and TWL tests, it was found that one time tuina could relieve the NP caused by peripheral nerve injury. After the modeling of minor CCI, the rats were observed to chew the lower limb of the modeling side and claudication, and the behavioral test result that Tuina group and the Model group had statistical significance compared with the Sham group, the result indicates that the model is created successfully.…”

Tuina therapy promotes behavioral improvement and brain plasticity in rats with peripheral nerve injury and repair

“…The TWL is one of the classic methods to evaluate the recovery of sensory function after sciatic nerve injury in rats. It can quantitatively evaluate the sensory function recovery of injured hindlimbs (da Silva et al., 2022 ). In the present study, the sensory function gradually recovered in both the experimental and control groups, indicated by decreased TWL.…”