Effects of nitric oxide on spontaneous pain reaction and neuronal apoptosis in the spinal cord of rats induced by formalin inflammatory pain

• Published in: Zhongguo ying yong sheng li xue za zhi Vol. 27; no. 3; p. 372
• Main Authors: Chu, Sai-chun, Hu, Yu-yan, Li, Qing-jun, Li, Hui-na, Li, Wen-bin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.08.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis - drug effects; Formaldehyde; Male; Neurons - pathology; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester - pharmacology; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nitric Oxide - physiology; Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors; Nociceptors - physiology; Pain - chemically induced; Pain - physiopathology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Spinal Cord - pathology; Spinal Cord - physiopathology
• ISSN: 1000-6834

To observe whether formalin inflammatory pain can induce neuron apoptosis in rats spinal cord or not and the effects of nitric oxide on the spontaneous pain reaction and neuron apoptosis in the spinal cord of rats with formalin inflammatory pain. Formalin-induced paw licking time was used to reflect the degree of spontaneous pain of rats, and the flow cytometry was used to detecte neuron apoptosis rate of spinal cord. Compared with control group, the apoptosis ratio of spinal neuron was increased in the rats with formalin inflammatory pain, and peaked at 3d after formalin injection. Pre-intrathecal injection of NOS inhibitor L-NAME inhibited the nociceptive behavioural response in double phases induced by fonnrmalin injection and cut down the neuron apoptosis ratio of spinal cord of rats with formalin inflammatory pain. Nociceptive behavioural response and incraesed neuron apoptosis in the spinal cord were induced by intrathecal injection of L-Arg in normal rats. The results indicated that formalin inflammato