Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is expressed in pituitary, central nervous system, and in a few peripheral tissues. This study addresses the hypothesis that metabolic stressors, such as acidosis, may induce the release of POMC derivatives into the cardiovascular system not only from the pituitary but also from other sites of POMC expression. In our study, we investigated the liberation of POMC deriv...

beta-Endorphin blocks release of luteinizing hormone (LH)-releasing hormone (LHRH) into the hypophyseal portal vessels by stimulating mu-opiate receptors, thereby inhibiting secretion of LH. LHRH release is controlled by release of nitric oxide from nitricoxidergic (NOergic) neurons in the basal tuberal hypothalamus. To determine whether beta-endorphin exerts its inhibitory action on this NOerg...

BACKGROUND In animal models of circulatory shock and heart failure concentrations of the endogenous opioid peptide beta endorphin are raised and opioid receptor blockade improves haemodynamic variables and survival. This study was performed to identify whether acute myocardial ischaemia provokes the release of beta endorphin in humans. METHODS Observational study in a university cardiology ce...

AIM To access beta-endorphin levels in serum as well as seminal plasma in different infertile male groups. METHODS Beta-endorphin was estimated in the serum and seminal plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method in 80 infertile men equally divided into four groups: non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), obstructive azoospermia (OA), congenital bilateral absent vas deferens (CBVAD)...

The paraventricular hypothalamus regulates autonomic nerve outflow and is innervated with /3-endorphin-immunoreactlve nerve terminals. This study examined the effects of /3-endorphin microinjected into the paraventricular hypothalamus on blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma catecholamine and glucose concentrations in conscious, unrestrained spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyo...

Objectives To compare the effect of acupuncture (manual and electroacupuncture) with that of a nonpenetrating sham (‘placebo’ needle) in patients with osteoarthritic knee pain and disability who are blind to the treatment allocation. Methods Acupuncture naïve patients with symptomatic and radiological evidence of osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly allocated to a course of either acupunctu...

BACKGROUND Suckling can be a peaceful or vulnerable event for goats and kids, whereas, separation is suggested as stressful. The aim of this study was to investigate physiology and behaviour in these two different situations in dairy goats. METHODS Four studies were performed with seven goats kept with their first-born kid in individual boxes. The goats were videotaped and heart rate and arte...