title: Gabapentin attenuates nociceptive behaviors in an acute arthritis model in rats.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of gabapentin (Neurontin), administered spinally with a microdialysis fiber, in reducing nociceptive behavioral responses induced by a knee joint inflammation model. This model is produced by injection of the knee joint with kaolin and carrageenan in rats. The resultant knee joint inflammation produces a secondary hyperalgesia to radiant heat applied to the hindpaw. Both pretreatment and post-treatment protocols were examined. Spinal administration of gabapentin (10 mg/ml) infused 1.5 h before induction of knee joint inflammation, although having no effect on the baseline, prevented the development of heat hyperalgesia. Gabapentin also prevented the development of other pain-related behaviors scored subjectively. Gabapentin had no effect, however, on the joint circumference increase typical in this model. In animals with fully developed knee joint inflammation, gabapentin produced a reversal of heat hyperalgesia. The paw withdrawal latency responses and subjective pain scores were no longer significantly different from baseline, but joint circumference increases remained. These data suggest that gabapentin is an effective antinociceptive agent when administered either before or after induction of knee joint inflammation acting through a central neurogenic mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience and The Marine Biomedical Institute, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Westlund
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002351:Carrageenan; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006614:Hindlimb; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D007616:Kaolin; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D007616:Kaolin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; D002351:Carrageenan