title: Ameliorative potential of pioglitazone and ceftriaxone alone and in combination in rat model of neuropathic pain: Targeting PPARγ and GLT-1 pathways.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relation between glutamate homeostasis and PPAR gamma has got tremendous importance in nerve trauma and pain. Present study has been designed to elucidate the interaction between the GLT-1 activator (ceftriaxone) and PPAR gamma agonist (pioglitazone) in the spinal nerve ligation induced neuropathic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male SD rats were subjected to spinal nerve ligation to induce neuropathic pain. Pioglitazone, ceftriaxone and their combination treatments were given for 28 days. Various behavioral, biochemical, neuroinflammatory and apoptotic mediators were assessed subsequently.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, ligation of L5 and L6 spinal nerves resulted in marked hyperalgesia and allodynia to different mechanical and thermal stimuli. In addition there is marked increase in oxidative-nitrosative stress parameters, inflammatory and apoptotic markers in spinal cord of spinal nerve ligated rats. Treatment with pioglitazone and ceftriaxone significantly prevented these behavioral, biochemical, mitochondrial and cellular alterations in rats. Further, combination of pioglitazone (10mg/kg, ip) with ceftriaxone (100mg/kg, ip) significantly potentiated the protective effects as compared to their effects per se.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these results we propose that possible interplay between the neuroprotective effects of pioglitazone and ceftriaxone exists in suppressing the behavioral, biochemical, mitochondrial, neuroinflammatory and apoptotic cascades in spinal nerve ligation induced neuropathic pain in rats.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Raghavender
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pottabathini
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Electronic address: kumaruips@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dr. Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sukant
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ekavali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma; C493395:Slc1a2 protein, rat; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000077205:Pioglitazone
keywords: GLT-1; Neuropathic pain; PPARgamma; Spinal nerve ligation