Systemic mexiletine relieves chronic allodynialike symptoms in rats with ischemic spinal cord injury.
We have recently reported a chronic allodynialike symptom in rats after ischemic spinal cord injury. This pain-related behavior is resistant to a number of pharmacologic treatments, including morphine, clonidine, carbamazepine, baclofen, and muscimol. In the present report, we present evidence indicating that systemic mexiletine, a local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic agent, effectively relieves the allodynia-like symptoms at doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg in these rats without inducing major side effects. It is suggested that systemically applied mexiletine may be useful in treating central pain in patients with spinal cord injury.
Xu
X J
XJ
Department of Clinical Physiology, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
Hao
J X
JX
Seiger
A
A
Arnér
S
S
Lindblom
U
U
Wiesenfeld-Hallin
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D008801:Mexiletine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*
D008801:Mexiletine