Beta2-adrenoceptor agonists alleviate neuropathic allodynia in mice after chronic treatment.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Antidepressants are a first-line treatment against neuropathic pain. We previously demonstrated that beta(2)-adrenoceptors are necessary for antidepressants to exert their anti-allodynic action. The aim of the present study was to assess whether beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists could be sufficient to alleviate neuropathic allodynia.

Experimental approach

We used a murine model of neuropathy induced by unilateral sciatic nerve cuffing in C57BL/6J mice. We previously demonstrated that this animal model is sensitive to chronic, but not to acute, treatment with antidepressant drugs, which is clinically relevant. The mechanical allodynia was evaluated using the von Frey filaments.

Key results

We showed that chronic but not acute treatment with the beta-

SUBMITTER: Choucair-Jaafar N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2801209 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature