Lithium reverses mechanical allodynia through a mu opioid-dependent mechanism
Abstract Background Lithium is widely used to treat bipolar disorders and displays mood stabilizing properties. In addition, lithium relieves painful cluster headaches and has a strong analgesic effect in neuropathic pain rat models. Objectives To investigate the analgesic effect of lithium on the c...
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Published in | Molecular pain Vol. 14; p. 1744806917754142 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Los Angeles, CA
SAGE Publications
01.01.2018
Sage Publications Ltd BioMed Central |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Abstract
Background
Lithium is widely used to treat bipolar disorders and displays mood stabilizing properties. In addition, lithium relieves painful cluster headaches and has a strong analgesic effect in neuropathic pain rat models.
Objectives
To investigate the analgesic effect of lithium on the cuff model of neuropathic pain.
Methods
We used behavioral and pharmacological approaches to study the analgesic effect of a single injection of lithium in wild-type and mu opioid receptor (MOR) null cuffed neuropathic mice. Mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay allowed to measure the levels of endogenous MOR agonist beta-endorphin as well as monoamines in brain and plasma samples 4 h after lithium administration.
Results
A single injection of lithium chloride (100 mg/kg, ip) alleviated mechanical allodynia for 24 h, and this effect was absent in MOR null neuropathic mice. Biochemical analyses highlight a significant increase in beta-endorphin levels by 30% in the brain of lithium-treated mice compared to controls. No variation of beta-endorphin was detected in the blood.
Conclusions
Together, our results provide evidence that lithium induces a long-lasting analgesia in neuropathic mice presumably through elevated brain levels of beta-endorphin and the activation of MORs. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 1744-8069 1744-8069 |
DOI: | 10.1177/1744806917754142 |