title: Antinociceptive activity of (-)-carvone: evidence of association with decreased peripheral nerve excitability.
abstract: (-)-Carvone is a monoterpene ketone that is the main active component of Mentha plant species like Mentha spicata. This study aimed to investigate the antinociceptive activity of (-)-carvone using different experimental models of pain and to investigate whether such effects might be involved in the nervous excitability elicited by others monoterpenes. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, we observed that (-)-carvone-treated mice exhibited a significant decrease in the number of writhes when 100 and 200 mg/kg was administered. It was also demonstrated that (-)-carvone inhibited the licking response of the injected paw when 100 and 200 mg/kg was administered (i.p.) to mice in the first and second phases of the formalin test. Since naloxone (5 mg/kg, s.c.), an opioid antagonist, showed no influence on the antinociceptive action of (-)-carvone (100 mg/kg), this suggested nonparticipation of the opioid system in the modulation of pain induced by (-)-carvone. Such results were unlikely to be provoked by motor abnormality, since (-)-carvone-treated mice did not exhibit any performance alteration on the Rota-rod apparatus. Because the antinociceptive effects could be associated with neuronal excitability inhibition, we performed the single sucrose gap technique and observed that (-)-carvone (10 mM) was able to reduce the excitability of the isolated sciatic nerve through a diminution of the compound action potential amplitude by about 50% from control recordings. We conclude that (-)-carvone has antinociceptive activity associated with decreased peripheral nerve excitability.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Federal University of Paraíba, CP 5009, CEP 58051-970, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos Ramos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Fernando de Sousa
authors.initials: Fde S
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Rubens Batista
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Benedito
authors.forename: Damião Pergentino
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Reinaldo Nóbrega
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Demetrius Antônio Machado
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: de Araújo
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013395:Sucrose
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D005557:Formaldehyde; D009270:Naloxone; D013395:Sucrose; C006923:carvone; D009020:Morphine; D003975:Diazepam