Possible analgesic and anti-inflammatory interactions of aspartame with opioids and NSAIDs.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of aspartame, an artificial sweetner and its combination with various opioids and NSAIDs for a possible synergistic response. The oral administration of aspartame (2-16mg/kg, po) significantly increased the pain threshold against acetic acid-induced writhes in mice. Co-administration of aspartame (2mg/kg, po) with nimesulide (2 mg/kg, po) and naproxen (5 mg/kg, po) significantly reduced acetic acid-induced writhes as compared to effects per se of individual drugs. Similarly when morphine (1 mg/kg, po) or pentazocine (1 mg/kg, po) was co-administered with aspartame it reduced the number of writhes as compared to their effects per se. Aspartame (4,8,16 mg/kg, po) significantly decreased carrageenan-induced increase in paw volume and also reversed the hyperalgesic effects in rats in combination with nimesulide (2 mg/kg, po). The study indicated that aspartame exerted analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects on its own and have a synergistic analgesic response with conventional analgesics of opioid and non-opioid type, respectively.
Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, India.
Sameer
S
Sharma
N K
NK
Jain
S K
SK
Kulkarni
D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001218:Aspartame / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004487:Edema; D007249:Inflammation; D051379:Mice; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009288:Naproxen / Q000494:pharmacology; D009294:Narcotics / Q000737:chemistry*; D010146:Pain; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010423:Pentazocine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D009294:Narcotics; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D009288:Naproxen; D009020:Morphine; D002351:Carrageenan; D019342:Acetic Acid; D010423:Pentazocine; C012655:nimesulide; D001218:Aspartame