title: L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, modulates cholinergic antinociception.
abstract: Systemic administration of sumatriptan and buspirone (20 mg/kg: 5-HT1A agonists) produced antinociception against acetic acid-induced writhing. The antinociceptive effect was potentiated by cholinomimetic physostigmine (0.05 mg/kg i.p.) and blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine (5 mg/kg i.p.). Naloxone, an opiate antagonist, failed to reverse the sumatriptan- or buspirone-induced antinociception, but pindolol (10 mg/kg), a nonselective 5-HT1A antagonist, blocked this response. Sumatriptan- or buspirone-induced antinociception was significantly potentiated by L-NAME (a nitric oxide [NO] synthase inhibitor) although L-NAME (20 mg/kg) given alone had no effect on the nociceptive threshold. Recent studies have suggested that the L-arginine/NO/cGMP pathway is involved in the modulation of pain perception. The present results suggest that NO may play a role in cholinergic antinociception-mediated 5-HT1A receptor stimulation and that NO exerts an inhibitory action on cholinergic analgesia.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002065:Buspirone / Q000494:pharmacology; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D018170:Sumatriptan; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019342:Acetic Acid; D002065:Buspirone; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester