title: Effects of indomethacin and buprenorphine analgesia on the postoperative recovery of mice.
abstract: Buprenorphine (Bup) is the most commonly used analgesic in mice, yet few objective assessments address its superiority for postsurgical recovery. In mice, IP implantation of a radiotelemetry device induces decreases in body weight (BW), food and water intake (FI, WI), core temperature (Tc), and activity levels that persist approximately 14 d in the absence of analgesia. To compare the efficacy of Bup with that of the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug indomethacin (Indo) for postsurgical recovery, male C57BL/6J mice were treated on the day of radiotelemetry implantation with Bup (0.3 mg/kg s.c.) or Indo (1 mg/kg s.c.) followed by treatment with Indo (1 mg/kg p.o.) on the next day (Bup-Indo versus Indo-Indo). Responses were compared between treatments in mice implanted with a radiotelemetry device and those that did not undergo surgery. Changes in BW, FI, WI, Tc, and activity were examined throughout 14 d of recovery. Indo-Indo was more efficacious in inhibiting postsurgical BW, FI, and WI reductions, compared with Bup-Indo. Bup also reduced BW and FI in the absence of surgery, indicating a nonspecific effect of this drug on these variables. Indo-Indo treatment was associated with higher activity levels during lights-on-to-lights-off transition periods compared with that observed with Bup-Indo. According to 5 objective measures of surgical recovery, our data suggest that Indo-Indo treatment is more efficacious than is Bup-Indo for postsurgical recovery of radiotelemetry-implanted mice.
authors.affiliation: US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, Natick, MA, USA. michael.blaha@amedd.army.mil
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Blaha
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Leon
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007756:Laboratory Animal Science / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013686:Telemetry
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002047:Buprenorphine; D007213:Indomethacin