The aim of this study was to examine the possible role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor mechanisms in responses induced by the small-fibre excitant and inflammatory irritant mustard oil injected into the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region of rats. The effects of the non-competitive NMDA antagonist MK-801 were tested on the mustard oil-evoked increases in electromyographic (EMG) activity of the masseter and digastric muscles and Evans Blue plasma extravasation. Five minutes before the mustard oil injection, MK-801 or its vehicle was administered systemically (i.v.), into the third ventricle (i.c.v.), or locally into the TMJ region. Compared with control animals receiving vehicle, the rats receiving MK-801 at an i.v. dose of 0.5 mg/kg (n = 5) showed a significant reduction in the incidence and magnitude of EMG responses as well as in the plasma extravasation evoked by mustard oil; MK-801 at an i.v. dose of 0.1 mg/kg (n = 5) had no significant effect on plasma extravasation or on the incidence and magnitude of EMG responses but did significantly increase the latency of EMG responses. An i.c.v. dose of 0.1 mg/kg (n = 5) or 0.01 mg/kg (n = 5) had no significant effect on plasma extravasation or incidence of EMG responses but did significantly reduce the magnitudes of the masseter EMG response; the 0.01 mg/kg dose also significantly increased the latency of the digastric EMG response. The magnitudes of both the masseter and digastric EMG responses were also significantly reduced by MK-801 administered into the TMJ region at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg (n = 5) but not by 0.01 mg/kg (n = 5); neither dose significantly affected the incidence of EMG responses or the plasma extravasation. These data suggest that both central and peripheral NMDA receptor mechanisms may play an important role in EMG responses evoked by the small-fibre excitant and inflammatory irritant mustard oil, but that different neurochemical mechanisms may be involved in the plasma extravasation induced by mustard oil.

PurposeWhile the relationship of asthma and coronary heart disease (CHD) (a specific manifestation of cardiovascular disease) has not been described consistently, we tried to defined this relation and explore the influence of gender and asthma status (child- and adult-onset asthma) on this issue.MethodsWe searched published reports that described the relationship of asthma and CHD.ResultsEleven trials were identified, covering 666,355 subjects. Asthma overall was significantly associated with CHD both for prospective trials (HR 1.34 [1.09,1.64], P = 0.005) and for retrospective trials(OR 1.29 [1.13,1.46], P = 0.001), when compared to individuals without asthma. Subgroup analysis split by gender indicated that females with asthma were significantly associated with CHD (HR 1.40 [1.20,1.62], P<0.001), but males with asthma were not significantly related with CHD (HR 1.19 [0.98,1.44], P = 0.07). For the four subgroups (Females with adult-onset asthma,males with adult-onset asthma,females with child-onset asthma,and males with child-onset asthma), pooled analysis of two trials indicated that only females with adult-onset asthma were significantly associated with CHD (HR 2.06 [1.32,3.19], P<0.001).ConclusionsOur data indicated that asthma was associated with CHD, and the relationship between them seemed to derived mostly from females with adult-onset asthma. Considering the limits of our study, these findings should be taken with caution.

To improve the long-term outcomes of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) for gonarthritis, many cartilage repair procedures appeared, but their effects were controversial. To evaluate the efficacy of cartilage repair procedures during HTO for gonarthritis, we performed this update meta-analysis. We performed the system retrieval for clinical trials using various databases and then pooled the outcomes of the included studies. Fifteen studies were involved. The pooled results indicated that there were no significant differences in Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) scale (mean difference [MD] = 0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.01 to 0.06, p = 0.24), the femorotibial angle (MD = 0.06, 95% CI = −0.04 to 0.16, p = 0.22), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes (MD = 12.53, 95% CI = −2.26 to 27.32, p = 0.10) of patients in experimental group than control. The subgroup analysis showed that the clinical outcomes of abrasion arthroplasty (AA) were worse than control group (standardized mean difference [SMD] −2.65, 95% CI = −3.67 to −1.63, p < 0.001), while mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) injection improved the clinical outcomes (SMD = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.25–3.50, p < 0.001). There were significant differences between the two groups in arthroscopic (SMD = 1.38, 95% CI = 0.82–1.94, p < 0.001) and histologic results (relative risk [RR] = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.36–2.29, p < 0.001). The pain relief (MD = 0.17, 95% CI = −3.26 to 3.61, p = 0.92) and operative complications (RR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.83–2.42; p = 0.19) of the two groups had no significant differences. Our analysis supports that concurrent cartilage repair procedures might improve arthroscopic and histologic outcomes, but they have no beneficial effect on clinical outcomes, radiograph, MRI, and pain relief. The concurrent procedures do not increase the risk of operative complication. Furthermore, MSC has some beneficial effects on clinical outcomes, while AA might play an opposite role.

These results indicated that gardenoside may be able to relief CCI-induced neuropathic pain by regulating the P2X3 and the P2X7 expression on the ischiadic nerve.

Neuropathic pain is a severe health problem for which there is a lack of effective therapy. Ozone and Gardenia fruits have been used separately in pain relief for many years; however, their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To investigate the pain‑relieving effects of combined ozone and Gardenia, a chronic constriction sciatic nerve injury (CCI) rat model was constructed and treated with ozone and gardenoside (Ozo&Gar), which is a compound found in Gardenia fruits. A total of 70 rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control (Ctrl), Ctrl + Ozo&Gar, Sham, CCI, and CCI + Ozo&Gar. The rats in the Ctrl + Ozo&Gar and CCI + Ozo&Gar groups were administered an intravenous injection of 30 µg/ml ozone and 300 µmol/l gardenoside. The rats in the Ctrl, Sham and CCI groups were administered the same volume of saline. Pain behavior, mechanical hyperalgesia, thermal hyperalgesia, and the protein expression levels of P2X3 and P2X7 purine receptors in L4‑L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were determined 15 days post‑surgery. The results demonstrated that treatment with a combination of ozone and gardenoside increased mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency, thus confirming their pain‑relieving effects. In addition, a significant increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of P2X3 and P2X7 was detected in the DRG of rats in the CCI group compared with in the control groups; however, following treatment with a combination of ozone and gardenoside, the mRNA and protein expression levels of P2X3 and P2X7 receptors were significantly reduced compared with in the CCI group. These results indicated that the mechanism underlying the pain‑relieving effects of ozone and gardenoside may be mediated by inhibition of P2X3 and P2X7 purine receptors in the DRG. This finding suggested that ozone and gardenoside may be considered potential drug candidates that target P2X3 and P2X7 purine receptors.