title: Acetyl-L-carnitine prevents and reduces paclitaxel-induced painful peripheral neuropathy.
abstract: This study examines the potential efficacy of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) to prevent and treat paclitaxel-induced pain. Rats received four intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 2 mg/kg paclitaxel on alternate days which, following a short delay induced marked mechanical hypersensitivity. Daily administration of ALC (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg; p.o.; concurrently with paclitaxel and for 14 days afterwards) prevented the development of paclitaxel-induced pain. This effect was long lasting, for at least 3 weeks after the last dose of ALC. In a separate experiment, daily administration of ALC (100 mg/kg; p.o.; for 10 days) to rats with established paclitaxel-induced pain produced an analgesic effect. This effect dissipated shortly after ALC treatment was withdrawn. We conclude that ALC may be useful in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced painful peripheral neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Que., Canada. sflatters@zeus.bwh.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Sarah J L
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Flatters
authors.forename: Wen-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D017239:Paclitaxel