title: Central effect of the non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents, indomethacin, ibuprofen, and diclofenac, determined in C fibre-evoked activity in single neurones of the rat thalamus.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate if the non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents, indomethacin, ibuprofen, and diclofenac, are capable of depressing sensory responses of the nociceptive system by a central action. For this purpose, experiments were carried out on rats under urethane anaesthesia in which activity was elicited by electrical stimulation of afferent C fibres in the sural nerve. Recordings were made ipsi- or contralaterally from single neurones in the dorsomedial part of the ventral nucleus (VDM) of the thalamus. The 3 drugs produced a dose-dependent depression of the evoked activity which amounted to about 60% of the controls at the highest doses employed and lasted longer than 60 min. Their potency ranking, according to the ED50 values (in brackets), is: indomethacin (5 mg/kg) greater than diclofenac (10.9 mg/kg) greater than ibuprofen (15.6 mg/kg). The results suggest that a central action might contribute to the analgesia produced by these non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Universität des Saarlandes, D-6650 Homburg/ SaarF.R.G. Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Universität Nürnberg-Erlangen, D-8520 ErlangenF.R.G.
authors.forename: Ilmar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jurna
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brune
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000494:pharmacology; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013788:Thalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004008:Diclofenac; D007052:Ibuprofen; D007213:Indomethacin