Antinociceptive effect of methyleugenol on formalin-induced hyperalgesia in mice.

Abstract

The effects of methyleugenol, an essential oil isolated from Asiasari radix, on antinociception were examined using the formalin test in mice. Oral administration of 10 mg/kg methyleugenol significantly decreased the duration of licking and biting behavior in the second phase without affecting that of the first phase, as did diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Methyleugenol also inhibited pain-related behaviors induced by intrathecal injection of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA), while diclofenac did not affect these behaviors. These effects of methyleugenol were suppressed by bicuculline, a gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) (GABA(A)) antagonist. Muscimol, a GABA(A) agonist, displays the same action as methyleugenol with respect to the formalin test and NMDA-induced behaviors. Methyleugenol did not affect cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 activities. These results suggest that the antinociceptive effect of methyleugenol on the second phase of formalin-induced pain may be due to the inhibition of NMDA receptor-mediated hyperalgesia via GABA(A) receptors.

• Authors: Shingo Yano, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Mitsutoshi Yuzurihara, Yoshio Kase, Shuichi Takeda, Satoshi Watanabe, Masaki Aburada, Ken-Ichi Miyamoto
• Journal: European journal of pharmacology (Eur J Pharmacol) Vol. 553 Issue 1-3 Pg. 99-103 (Dec 28 2006) ISSN: 0014-2999 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 17049512 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anesthetics
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
• Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
• GABA Agonists
• Diclofenac
• Formaldehyde
• Muscimol
• methyleugenol
• Eugenol
• N-Methylaspartate
• Cyclooxygenase 1
• Cyclooxygenase 2

Topics

• Anesthetics (therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal (therapeutic use)
• Behavior, Animal (drug effects)
• Cyclooxygenase 1 (metabolism)
• Cyclooxygenase 2 (metabolism)
• Diclofenac (therapeutic use)
• Eugenol (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists (pharmacology)
• Formaldehyde
• GABA Agonists (pharmacology)
• Hyperalgesia (chemically induced, drug therapy)
• Male
• Mice
• Muscimol (pharmacology)
• N-Methylaspartate (pharmacology)
• Nociceptors (drug effects)