No abstract

The role of Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) in migraine has been demonsrated. The aim of this study was to examine the role of Adrenomedullin (AM) which is a member of the calcitonin/CGRP/amylin family in migraine patients during naturel attack and attack free period.Material and Method: Twenty-six migraine patients (11 with aura, 15 without aura) and 26 healty participants were involved. Blood samples were obtained from each patient in attack and attack free period, then compared with each other and control group.Results: Mean plasma AM levels were 19 pmol/l during migraine attacks, 25.23 pmol/l between attacks, and 33.01 pmol/l in the control group. AM levels of migraine patients were significantly lower than controls during non-attack periods (p=0.001) and more interestingly, it further decreased during attack periods (p=0.001). A comparison of the mean plasma AM levels of migraine with and without aura cases revealed the same statistically significant difference (p=0.001). Conclusion:The persistently low AM levels in migraine patients gave the impression that in physiological conditions there may be a balance between CGRP and AM and this may be changed towards to the site of CGRP in migraine pathophysiology while causing a decline in AM levels as we had found. Further studies regarding on AM involvement in migraine pathophysiology are needed to confirm these results.

Adrenomedullin (AdM) has many important effects such as vasorelaxant, natriuretic, proliferative/antiproliferative, regulator of adrenal hormones and ACTH secretion, antiapoptotic and antioxidant. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of AdM and methylated‐AdM (M‐AdM) on benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)p) and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg) induced oxidative stress in the rat liver. For this purpose, at first AdM was methylated. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutation peroxidase (GSH‐Px), and MDA levels were assessed by spectrophotometrically. Administration of M‐AdM in the Pb‐treated rats significantly increased MDA levels compared with Pb‐treated group. While AdM further decreased Pb‐induced attenuation of SOD activity, MAdM did not change. However, MAdM significantly increased SOD activity compared with AdM in Pb‐treated rats. Hg‐induced decrease of SOD activity was reversed by M‐AdM administration significantly. The administration of AdM and MAdM in B(a)p‐treated rats increased SOD, CAT and GSH‐Px activities significantly compared with B(a)p‐treated group and the increases of antioxidant enzyme activities in MAdM group more than the AdM group. These results suggest that M‐AdM may have more potent protective effect than AdM against B(a)p or heavy metal‐induced oxidative stress (Supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Project No:106T112).