TY - JOUR
T1 - Prostaglandins, glutamate and nitric oxide synthase mediate nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia in the formalin test
AU - Tassorelli, Cristina
AU - Greco, Rosaria
AU - Wang, Dechun
AU - Sandrini, Giorgio
AU - Nappi, Giuseppe
PY - 2006/3/18
Y1 - 2006/3/18
N2 - Increasing evidence supports a possible role for nitric oxide (NO) in the transmission of pain signals and in the development of central mechanisms of hyperalgesia. Previously, we have shown that nitroglycerin, an NO donor, is able to induce a long-lasting hyperalgesic state in rats. Nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia can be detected as an increase in the nociceptive behavior evoked by the formalin test. In the present study we investigated the possible mediators in the nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesic state. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with nitroglycerin and pretreated with indomethacin, 5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclo-hepten-5,10-imine hydrogen maleate (MK-801) or Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). The results obtained showed that inhibition of prostaglandins or NO synthesis prevents nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia in Phase II of the formalin test. A similar inhibitory effect was also observed following pretreatment with the glutamate antagonist MK801. The present findings point to the role of prostaglandins, NO synthesis and glutamate activity in the induction of nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia.
AB - Increasing evidence supports a possible role for nitric oxide (NO) in the transmission of pain signals and in the development of central mechanisms of hyperalgesia. Previously, we have shown that nitroglycerin, an NO donor, is able to induce a long-lasting hyperalgesic state in rats. Nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia can be detected as an increase in the nociceptive behavior evoked by the formalin test. In the present study we investigated the possible mediators in the nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesic state. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with nitroglycerin and pretreated with indomethacin, 5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclo-hepten-5,10-imine hydrogen maleate (MK-801) or Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). The results obtained showed that inhibition of prostaglandins or NO synthesis prevents nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia in Phase II of the formalin test. A similar inhibitory effect was also observed following pretreatment with the glutamate antagonist MK801. The present findings point to the role of prostaglandins, NO synthesis and glutamate activity in the induction of nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia.
KW - Formalin test
KW - Hyperalgesia
KW - Indomethacin
KW - L-NAME
KW - MK-801
KW - Nitric oxide
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ejphar.2006.01.023
DO - 10.1016/j.ejphar.2006.01.023
M3 - Article
C2 - 16507304
AN - SCOPUS:33644907722
VL - 534
SP - 103
EP - 107
JO - European Journal of Pharmacology
JF - European Journal of Pharmacology
SN - 0014-2999
IS - 1-3
ER -