title: Screening of stepping forces in an arthritic rat model using a novel analgesic meter and data acquisition system.
abstract: The stepping forces of normal and Freund Complete Adjuvant (FCA)-induced arthritic rats were studied in vivo using a proposed novel analgesic meter. An infrared charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and a data acquisition system were incorporated into the analgesic meter to determine and measure the weight of loads on the right hind paw before and after induction of arthritis by FCA injection into the paw cavity. FCA injection resulted in a significant reduction in the stepping force of the affected hind paw. The stepping force decreased to the minimum level on day 4 after the injection and then gradually increased up to day 25. Oral administration of prednisolone significantly increased the stepping forces of FCA-induced arthritic rats on days 14 and 21. These results suggest that the novel device is an effective tool for measuring the arthritic pain in in vivo studies even though walking is a dynamic condition.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia. yammunfei@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mun Fei
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Yam
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Lip Yee
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Por
authors.forename: Lee Fung
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.forename: Rusliza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Basir
authors.forename: Mohd Zaini
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Asmawi