The effects of exposure of healthy and diabetic rats to a 50 Hz magnetic field on nociception should be investigated.
The development of diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus, which often manifests as intense pain sensations. Magnetic field exposure was investigated as a potential therapeutic tool.
Rats were divided into the following groups (n=8, respectively): 1) exposure of healthy rats to the magnetic field, 2) exposure of diabetic rats (induced with streptozotocin), 3) exposure of diabetic rats treated with insulin, 4) sham exposure of healthy rats, 5) control group for diabetic rats, 6) control group for diabetic rats treated with insulin.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
|
Exposure 1:
50 Hz
Exposure duration:
intermittent daily 4 x 30 min with 15 min breaks between for 30 days
|
|
| Frequency | 50 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform | |
| Exposure duration | intermittent daily 4 x 30 min with 15 min breaks between for 30 days |
| Exposure source | |
|---|---|
| Chamber | a 40×17×13 cm Plexiglas container; 3 rats were simultaneously placed in the container |
| Setup | solenoid (500 mm in length and 210 mm in diameter, 1400 turns of insulated 1.4 mm copper wire) was kept in a north-south direction and its temperature was maintained constant at 25.0 ± 2°C |
| Sham exposure | A sham exposure was conducted. |
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| magnetic flux density | 5 mT | - | measured | - | - |
In all exposure groups (groups 1-3), exposures to the magnetic field led to mild (few percent) but significant increases in the tail-flick latency immediately after each exposure session compared to before. Moreover, a larger and significant increase in this parameter (increment up to 40%) developed with some delay in each exposure group. This effect was limited in time (lasting 2 days long), afterwards the tail-flick latency tended to return to nearly initial values. This intense hypoalgesic effect was observed on days 3 and 4 in healthy rats (group 1), on days 4 and 5 in diabetic rats (group 2) and on days 5 and 6 in diabetic rats treated with insulin (group 3).
Exposure to magnetic field had no significant influence on the mean arterial blood pressure in both normal and diabetic animals (groups 1-3). However, it was significantly increased in diabetic rats (groups 2, 3, 5 and 6) compared to the respective baselines independendly from exposure to the magnetic field.
The authors conclude that exposure to a 50 Hz magnetic field might have an anti-nociceptive effect in healthy and diabetic rats. Hence, magnetic field exposure could be a potential tool in future treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
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