Changes in amino acids and nitric oxide concentration in cerebrospinal fluid during labor pain.
This study analyzes the relationship between amino acids and pain perception during active labor. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the excitatory amino acids (EAAs)-glutamate, aspartate and their amide forms, inhibitory amino acids (IAAs)-glycine, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and taurine and nitric oxide (NO) related compounds-arginine and citrulline (by-product of NO synthesis) were compared between pregnant women at term pregnancy with labor pain (n = 38) and without labor pain (Caesarian section; n = 30). The levels of aspartate, glycine, GABA and citrulline were significantly higher; whilst taurine was significantly lower in the labor pain group. These findings suggest that aspartate and NO are associated with labor pain. An inhibitory role for the IAA taurine and a pronociceptive role for glycine in labor pain are proposed.
Sethuraman
Rama
R
Department of Anaesthesia, National University of Singapore, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119074, Singapore. anast@nus.edu.sg
Lee
Tat-Leang
TL
Chui
Jen-Wun
JW
Tachibana
Shinro
S
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048949:Labor Pain / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011247:Pregnancy
D000596:Amino Acids; D009569:Nitric Oxide