BACKGROUND:Because of its long-lasting analgesic action, bupivacaine is an anesthetic used for peripheral nerve block and relief of postoperative pain. Muscle degeneration and neurotoxicity are its main limitations. There is strong evidence that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) assists in muscle and nerve repair. The authors evaluated the effects of a Gallium Arsenide laser (GaAs), on the regeneration of muscle fibers of the sternomastoid muscle and accessory nerve after injection of bupivacaine.

METHODS:In total, 30 Wistar adult rats were divided into 2 groups: control group (C: n=15) and laser group (L: n=15). The groups were subdivided by antimere, with 0.5% bupivacaine injected on the right and 0.9% sodium chloride on the left. LLLT (GaAs 904nm, 0,05W, 2.8J per point) was administered for 5 consecutive days, starting 24h after injection of the solutions. Seven days after the trial period, blood samples were collected for determination of creatine kinase (CK). The sternomastoid nerve was removed for morphological and morphometric analyses; the surface portion of the sternomastoid muscle was used for histopathological and ultrastructural analyses. Muscle CK and TNFα protein levels were measured.

RESULTS:The anesthetic promoted myonecrosis and increased muscle CK without neurotoxic effects. The LLLT reduced myonecrosis, characterized by a decrease in muscle CK levels, inflammation, necrosis, and atrophy, as well as the number of central nuclei in the muscle fibers and the percentage of collagen. TNFα values remained constant.

CONCLUSIONS:LLLT, at the dose used, reduced fibrosis and myonecrosis in the sternomastoid muscle triggered by bupivacaine, accelerating the muscle regeneration process.

BACKGROUND:Skin fibrosis is a debilitating condition that significantly impacts patient quality of life. Ultraviolet phototherapy is currently used to treat several diseases featuring skin fibrosis. High-fluence light-emitting diode-generated red light (HF-LED-RL) does not cause DNA damage associated with skin cancer, and it is generally regarded as safe, portable, and cost-effective. Early clinical observations suggest that LED-generated light may possess antifibrotic effects, although these findings are largely unexplored. Previously published research demonstrated that HF-LED-RL decreases fibroblast proliferation and collagen in vitro.

OBJECTIVE:The goal of this study was to compare the combination effects of HF-LED-RL alone with HF-LED-RL in combination with resveratrol.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:It is hypothesized that resveratrol, an active ingredient in red wine, a potent antioxidant scavenger of reactive oxygen species, and an inhibitor of collagen production, may synergistically decrease fibroblast proliferation and collagen production when combined with HF-LED-RL.

RESULTS:In this study, evidence is provided that resveratrol combined with HF-LED-RL acts synergistically to decrease fibroblast proliferation and procollagen 1A1 production, and this represents a new potential therapeutic modality that is termed the"photobotanical"effect due to the combined light and botanical properties observed.

CONCLUSION:The study, discovery, and use of photobotanical combinations may usher in new therapeutics or phototherapy adjuvants for the treatment of dermatologic diseases.

BACKGROUND:Skin fibrosis is a debilitating condition that significantly impacts patient quality of life. Ultraviolet phototherapy is currently used to treat several diseases featuring skin fibrosis. High-fluence light-emitting diode-generated red light (HF-LED-RL) does not cause DNA damage associated with skin cancer, and it is generally regarded as safe, portable, and cost-effective. Early clinical observations suggest that LED-generated light may possess antifibrotic effects, although these findings are largely unexplored. Previously published research demonstrated that HF-LED-RL decreases fibroblast proliferation and collagen in vitro.

OBJECTIVE:The goal of this study was to compare the combination effects of HF-LED-RL alone with HF-LED-RL in combination with resveratrol.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:It is hypothesized that resveratrol, an active ingredient in red wine, a potent antioxidant scavenger of reactive oxygen species, and an inhibitor of collagen production, may synergistically decrease fibroblast proliferation and collagen production when combined with HF-LED-RL.

RESULTS:In this study, evidence is provided that resveratrol combined with HF-LED-RL acts synergistically to decrease fibroblast proliferation and procollagen 1A1 production, and this represents a new potential therapeutic modality that is termed the"photobotanical"effect due to the combined light and botanical properties observed.

CONCLUSION:The study, discovery, and use of photobotanical combinations may usher in new therapeutics or phototherapy adjuvants for the treatment of dermatologic diseases.