Peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor agonist attenuates neuropathic pain in rats after L5 spinal nerve injury

Yun Guan, Lisa M. Johanek, Timothy V. Hartke, Beom Shim, Yuan Xiang Tao, Matthias Ringkamp, Richard A. Meyer, Srinivasa N. Raja

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

94 Scopus citations

Abstract

Studies in experimental models and controlled patient trials indicate that opioids are effective in managing neuropathic pain. However, side effects secondary to their central nervous system actions present barriers to their clinical use. Therefore, we examined whether activation of the peripheral mu-opioid receptors (MORs) could effectively alleviate neuropathic pain in rats after L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Systemic loperamide hydrochloride (0.3-10 mg/kg, s.c.), a peripherally acting MOR-preferring agonist, dose-dependently reversed the mechanical allodynia at day 7 post-SNL. This anti-allodynic effect produced by systemic loperamide (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.) was blocked by systemic pretreatment with either naloxone hydrochloride (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or methyl-naltrexone (5 mg/kg, i.p.), a peripherally acting MOR-preferring antagonist. It was also blocked by ipsilateral intraplantar pretreatment with methyl-naltrexone (43.5 μg/50 μl) and the highly selective MOR antagonist CTAP (5.5 μg/50 μl). However, this anti-allodynic effect of systemic loperamide was not blocked by intraplantar pretreatment with the delta-opioid receptor antagonist naltrindole hydrochloride (45.1 μg/50 μl). The anti-allodynic potency of systemic loperamide varied with time after nerve injury, with similar potency at days 7, 28, and 42 post-SNL, but reduced potency at day 14 post-SNL. Ipsilateral intraplantar injection of loperamide also dose-dependently (10-100 μg/50 μl) reversed mechanical allodynia on day 7 post-SNL. We suggest that loperamide can effectively attenuate neuropathic pain, primarily through activation of peripheral MORs in local tissue. Therefore, peripherally acting MOR agonists may represent a promising therapeutic approach for alleviating neuropathic pain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)318-329
Number of pages12
JournalPain
Volume138
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 31 2008

Keywords

  • Loperamide
  • Mechanical allodynia
  • Mu-opioid receptor
  • Nerve injury

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

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