1989 Volume 1 Issue 1 Pages 23-26
It is possible to increase the volume of mitochondria in certain types of nerve cells with free nerve endings which are semsotove to pain-producing substances. In order to achieve this increase. the substance must be- high-density, and be in contact with the cell for a prolonged period. There is also a positive correlation between the increase in the frequency of nerve impulses and the increase in the mitochondrial volume. In this study. bradykinin was used us the pain-producing subcutance. Three groups of animals were used. A high concentration of bradykinin was injected subcutaneously into the maxillary trigeminal dermatome of male Wistar rats over n 4-day period. One group received bradykinin only, one group received bradykinin to followed by irradiution with a diode laser, und a third group received only physiologic saline as a control. After the twelfth day. the animals were killed, The mitochondrial density of the trigeminal ganglion cclls and the synaptic glomeruli of the spinal trigeminal nucleus was checked. The volume was significantly high in group 1. but in group 2 was almost the same as the normal level of control group 3. A significant statistical difference was demonstrated, From these findings it is possible to conclude that the diode laser can reduce the pain-producing action of bradykinin in peripheral nerve tissue.
