The aim of the present study was to observe the effect of repeated subcutaneous (sc) injections of low doses of ketamine for the treatment of acute in

The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of prolonged use of peptidem- and d-receptor agonists [D-Ala2, N-me-phe, Gly5-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) and [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-enkephalin (DPDPE) and non-peptide agonists ohmefentanyl (OMF) and BW373U86 on the transcription of opioid receptors of cultured NG108-15 cell and SHSY5Y cells, respectively using the method of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). It was found that (1) The abundance of m- and d-receptor mRNA decreased significantly up to 48h after the administration of DAMGO and DPDPE, respectively; whereas the inhibitory effect of OMF and BW373U86 lasted only for 24h; (2) DAMGO and DPDPE produced a significant decrease of the mRNA coding for m-receptor andd-receptor at concentrations as low as 1028mol/L and 1026mol/L, respectively, whereas OMF and BW373U86 were effective at concentrations one order of magnitude higher, respectively. These results suggested that (1) Long-term administration of either peptide or non-peptide opioid agonist to cultured cell line produced a significant decrease of the gene expression of opioid receptor at transcription level. (2) The effect of peptide agonists was stronger and lasted longer than that of corresponding nonpeptide agonists.

The vanilloid receptor VR1 has attracted great interest as a sensory transducer for capsaicin, protons, and heat, and as a therapeutic target. Here we characterize two novel VR1 antagonists, KJM429 [N-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)-N -[4-(methylsulfonylamino) benzyl]thiourea] and JYL1421 [N-(4-tertbutylbenzyl)-N -[3-fluoro-4-(methylsulfonylamino)benzyl]-thiourea], with enhanced activity compared with capsazepine on rat VR1 expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. JYL1421, the more potent of the two novel antagonists, inhibited [3H]resiniferatoxin binding to rVR1 with an affinity of 53.5

The vanilloid receptor VR1 is a polymodal nociceptor sensitive to capsaicin, protons, and heat. Because VR1 represents an attractive therapeutic target for conditions ranging from long-term pain to bladder hyperreflexia, we and other groups have sought to develop novel ligands with enhanced potencies and novel pharmacological properties. Here, we characterize two compounds, N-[2-(3,4-dimethylbenzyl)-3-(pivaloyloxy)propyl]-N -[4-(methylsulfonylamino)benzyl]thiourea (JYL827) and N-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)-N+-[3-methoxy-4-(methylsulfonylamino)benzyl]thiourea (JYL1511), that function as partial agonists for rat VR1 heterologously expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Both compounds showed substantially enhanced potency, inhibiting [3H] resiniferatoxin binding with Ki values of 29.3

Peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) has been utilized to manage chronic pain associated with nerve injury. However, the data on clinical effectiveness are conflicting and the neurophysiological mechanism is not well known. This study was designed to assess whether PES relieved neuropathic pain and its possible mechanisms. The neuropathic pain model was made with lumbar 5th (L5) and 6th (L6) spinal nerve ligations in rats. Nociceptive responses of the rats were assessed by the cold plate test (the number and duration of paw lifts that occurred in 5 min on a 5 F 1jC cold plate). PES with a frequency of 2Hz and at increasing strengths was given for 30 min via stainless-steel needles inserted into standard acupoints on the leg and back, respectively. Immunochemistry was used to examine the immunoreactivity of the NMDA receptor 1 (NR1) subunit in the spinal cord dorsal horn. The results are as follows: (1) PES relieved neuropathic pain and the effect was blocked by 1.0mg/kg naloxone. (2) The effect of one session of PES lasted up to 12h. (3) Repetitive PES showed a cumulative effect and no tolerance was observed. (4) There was a significant increase of NR1 immunoreactivity in the superficial laminae of the spinal cord of neuropathic pain rats as compared with naive rats. This increase could be reversed by repetitive 2Hz PES. These results suggest that PES can relieve neuropathic pain, and that A-opioid receptors and NMDA receptors are involved in the effect of PES.