Adrenalectomy potentiates the anti-inflammatory activity of a calcium channel blocker.
Calcium movement is important in the activation of inflammatory cells. Prior studies have shown that calcium channel blockers (CCBs) inhibit carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats by acting at pituitary and hypothalamic levels. Here we evaluated the role of calcium channel blockers and their regulation via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in acute and chronic models of rat paw inflammation, using both carrageenan (acute) and formalin (chronic) as inflammation inducers. Adrenalectomized (ADX) and intact Sprague Dawley rats (n = 4 per group) weighing 150-250 each were treated with an intraperitoneal injection of nifedipine (400 microg/kg) or vehicle. Edema was assessed plethysmometrically by evaluating paw volume changes. The results show a significant contradiction between acute and chronic inflammation data. In intact animals, nifedipine demonstrated a significant anti-inflammatory effect in the acute inflammatory model but not in the chronic model. In adrenal-ectomized animals, the anti-inflammatory effect of nifedipine was significantly enhanced both in acute and chronic models. We conclude that adrenalectomy plays a significant role in modulating the inflammatory pathway in the presence of calcium channel blockers.
Banerjee
A
A
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre, SG Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, India.
Vaghasiya
R
R
Nivsarkar
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D006614:Hindlimb; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002351:Carrageenan; D009543:Nifedipine