title: Antinociceptive effect of the monoterpene R-(+)-limonene in mice.
abstract: In the present study were studied the antinociceptives properties of monoterpene R-(+)-limonene (LM) in chemical and thermal models of nociception in mice. The R-(+)-limonene was administered, intraperitoneally (i.p.), at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg. The results showed significant inhibition produced on chemical nociception induced by intraperitoneal acetic-acid and in the second phase of subplantar formalin test, but did not manifest a significant effect in hot-plate test. The R-(+)-limonene-induced antinociception in second phase of formalin test was insensitive to naloxone (1 mg/kg, s.c.). It was also demonstrated that R-(+)-limonene (25, 50 mg/kg) neither significantly enhanced the pentobarbital-sleeping time nor impaired the motor performance in rota-rod test, indicating that the observed antinociception is unlikely to be due to sedation or motor abnormality. In conclusion it may be suggested that the R-(+)-limonene presented antinociceptive activity and that, probably, this action can be related with peripheral analgesia, but, not with the stimulation of opioids receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Cel. Nunes de Melo, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jeferson Falcão
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: do Amaral
authors.forename: Maria Izabel Gomes
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Manuel Rufino de Aquino
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Paulo Florentino Teixeira
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Brinell Arcanjo
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Carla Thiciane Vasconcelos
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.forename: Fernando Luiz Oliveira
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.forename: Damião Pergentino
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Patrícia Freire
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Silvânia Maria Mendes
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Francisca Cléa Florenço
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: de Sousa
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D053138:Cyclohexenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077222:Limonene; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D013729:Terpenes; D009270:Naloxone; D000077222:Limonene; D010424:Pentobarbital