TITLE:
Evidence for Positive Effects of Date Extract That Attenuates Thermal Hyperalgesia in a Diabetic Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain
AUTHORS:
Mohammad Shabani, Nasser Zangiabadi, Majid Asadi-Shekaari
KEYWORDS:
Date Extract; Diabetic; Melatonin; Neuropathic Pain; Thermal Hyperalgesia
JOURNAL NAME:
Neuroscience and Medicine,
Vol.4 No.1,
March
6,
2013
ABSTRACT: Aim: Diabetic neuropathic pain is
one of the pains which hardly respond to pharmaceutical treat. Today, various
chemical and herbal compounds have been used to reduce pain. The aim of this
study is to compare the effect of date extract and melatonin in preventing pain
in diabetic rats.Method: To study hyperalgesia response
and to compare the effect of date extract and melatonin in preventing pain, hot
plate and tail flick tests were used. After prescribing single dose of
streptozotocin to rats and approving their diabetes, treatment rats received
date extract (4ml/kg/day) or melatonin [10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally (i.p.)] for a
period of 6 weeks. At the end of the sixth week, control and treated rats were
examined by thermal pain response and explorative activity tests.Results: According to hot plate results, response time to thermal pain in treated group showed a
significant decrease in comparison with the control group (P 0.01). Prescription of date
extract increased response time to thermal pain in comparison with treated
group (P 0.01), so that response time
approximated to control group. Although melatonin approximated to the response
time to control group, the significant difference was not observed among
melatonin receivers and other groups. In the assessment of diabetic neuropathy
on the explorative activity of rats in an open field behavioral test, total
distance moved and rearing frequency were significantly decreased, while
administration of date extract did also improve motor deficits induced by STZ. Conclusions:Findings of this study showed that date extract
decreased thermal hyperalgesia and can prevent pain resulted from diabetic
neuropathy.