Experimental studies of burns require the use of different animal models. The aim of this work was to establish experimental model of thermal injuries and to evaluate the effects of topical agents on healing of the burn wounds. Forty female Wistar rats were randomly classified in 4 groups and isolated for 2 weeks before the onset of experiment. Animals were primarily anaesthetized with pentobarbital-sodium and then shaved (skin area of their back with diameters 5 cm x 5 cm). A round metal stamp with contact area of 5 cm2 and total weight of 100 g was heated up to 80 degrees C and then applied without additional pressure on the depilated skin of the back for 14 seconds. This procedure produced a standardized burn wound. Induced burn wounds were immediately drowned in the 4 degrees C- water for 3 s in order to maintain microcirculation. After the inducement of thermal injures, all rats were treated with 1% silver sulfadiazine cream, herbal topical preparations or were not treated at all. Burn wounds were treated twice a day until the healing completion. The result of treatment application was a significant reduction of burn wound diameters. Herbal topical preparations expressed positive therapeutic effects on the parameters of burn wounds. The efficiency of silver sulfadiazine cream in burn wound healing was significantly more expressed in comparison to healing process in control group of animals (p < or = 0,001). We conclude that herbal topical preparations efficiently caused the completion of burn wound healing process without scar formation.

In this paper we have reviewed the position of desmopressin in the treatment of diabetes insipidus. Desmopressin is a synthetic analog of vasopressin, with more pronounced antidiuretic effect. It is treatment of choice in substitution therapy of diabetes insipidus. Its application before sleeping time can reduce nocturnal enuresis, so it has a place in the treatment of enuresis nocturna. Antidiuretic effect of desmopressin is the result of agonistic effect on V2 receptors in the renal tubules. The efficacy and safety of desmopressin in mentioned indications was confirmed in clinical studies.

Fluoxetine is used in treatment of depression caused by a variety of different factors and from year to year new indications are being added, especially in conditions followed with strong bouts of pain. Additional fluoxetine based therapy that is known to help in improvement of mental state and mood stabilization can significantly increase analgesic effects. Analgesic effects of fluoxetine as well as of fluoxetine in combination with morphine were analyzed on albino mice of both genders. The sense of pain was induced by thermal stimulus by the method of hot plate. Analgesic effect was measured 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after a single i.p. administration of fluoxetine in following dosages: 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg. The control group was treated with 0.1 ml/10 g physiological solution. Test group injected with morphine s.c. (7 mg/kg) was used to observe the effect of fluoxetine in combination with morphine. Fluoxetine applied in 5 mg/kg dosage causes increased pain reaction 60 and 90 minutes (p=0.049 and p=0.002) (t-test) following application when compared with corresponding values of control group. When fluoxetine is applied in 10 mg/kg dosage duration of pain reaction is significantly increased after 30 (p=0.01), 60 (p=0.001) and 90 minutes (p=0.026), when compared to the control group. When fluoxetine is applied in 20 mg/kg dosage duration of pain reaction is increased 60 and 120 minutes (p<0.001) after application when compared to the control group. After application of fluoxetine (5 mg/kg) in combination with morphine, reaction time to pain is significantly extended (p<0.001) 60, 90 and 120 minutes after application when compared to the control group injected exclusively with morphine. Fluoxetine causes analgesic effect in all three applied dosages as well as it significantly increases analgesic effect when applied in 5 mg/kg dosage in combination with morphine.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Clinical research of drugs is a researching step subsequent to the preclinical studies in experimental animals. The aim of our research was to evaluate animal model of wound healing process after the burn inducement and effects of the ointment containing natural plants on the process of burn healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS Burn wounds were experimentally induced in two species of experimental animals which were treated with topically applied herbal preparation with concomitant monitoring of the healing process. Experimental groups (1) of 15 animals each (mice and rats), while control group (2) of 10 animals each (mice and rats) that were not being treated with herbal ointment. After the hair removal, burn was induced on the back of animals by heated brass seal. Different clinical symptoms including oedema of surrounding tissue, redness, exudation, size of the burn surface, histological and microbiological findings were monitored on the days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21. A statistically significant difference was observed throughout descriptive statistics and paired Student's t-test. CONCLUSION Physiological healing processes of the acute burn wound following the topical application of herbal preparation can be monitored on the utilized animal model. A three-week treatment resulted in the 90% of completed epithelization in both animal species, indicating the effectiveness of topically applied herbal preparation.

Experimental studies of burns require the use of different animal models with the aim to imitate and reproduce pathophysiological conditions. The aim of this work was to establish experimental model of thermal injury. New Zealand rabbits, weighted from 1.8 kg to 2.3 kg, were utilised during our study. Another, also utilized, animal types were laboratory Rattus rats, species Wistar, albino type, females with body weight of about 232 g. All animals were from our own litter (Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo). During the experiment, animal were properly situated in adequate cages and rooms, at the controlled temperature (22 +/- 2 degrees C), and in the air with normal humidity level. All animals took food and water ad libitum. Rabbits received anesthesia--intravenous pentobarbital sodium in a dose of 60 mg/kg, and then, hair from the upper side of the each rabbit ear was removed and burns were caused by a metal seal in the same manner as in rats. Rats were primarily anesthesied by intraperitoneal pentobarbital sodium in a dose of 35 mg/kg, and then, their hair was removed from the scapula zone (5 cm x 5 cm). Burns were caused by contact with a round metal seal, heated at 80 degrees C in a water bath, during the period of 14 seconds together with contact thermometer control. Round metal seal (radius: 2.5 cm; weight: 100 g; surface: 5 cm2) was just placed on the rat skin without any additional pressure. In order to maintain the microcirculation in the burn wound and to reduce the conversion of partial-thickness skin burns to the burns of the full-thickness skin, all burn wounds were immediately sunk in the 4 degrees C water. Subsequent to that procedure, all animals were individually situated in the proper cages, and left to rest for 4 hours with a constant cautious monitoring of the wound development and animal general state.