Pharmacological analysis of response latency in the hot plate test following whole-body static magnetic field-exposure in the snail Helix pomatia

Abstract

Purpose: To study the effect of single, 30-min long, whole-body, homogeneous static magnetic field (SMF)-exposure of magnetic induction 147±3 mT on the response latency of the snail Helix pomatia.

Materials and methods: The response was investigated using the hot plate test.

Results: The effect caused by exposure to SMF was compared to sham-exposure and resulted in significant differences (up to 47.1%, p < 0.001). The response latency depended on the day-night cycle; response latency was higher by 51.2% (p < 0.001) during the night. This trend also held for SMF- exposure (28.6%, p < 0.001). Serotonin alone increased response latency (55.7%, p < 0.001), whereas serotonin antagonist tryptamine decreased it (− 97.8%, p < 0.001). Using naloxone, response latency decreased (− 52.5%, p < 0.001); however both SMF-exposure and serotonin in combination with naloxone rose it back to above the control level (116.9%, p < 0.001 or 150.2%, p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: This study provides evidence that SMF-exposure mediates peripheral thermal nociceptive threshold by affecting the serotonerg as well as the opioiderg system.

Keywords::

• Helix pomatia
• static magnetic field (SMF)
• nociception
• naloxone
• analgesia
• serotonin
• tryptamine

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Prof. Dr Zs. Fürst and Dr M. Al-Khrasani for their cooperation in the measurements. Thanks are due to Miss Anna László for insightful discussions. JFL was partially supported by the TÁMOP-4.2.2.C-11/1/KONV-2012-0001 project. The project was implemented through the New Hungary Development Plan, co-financed by the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.