Korean J Pain.  2012 Jan;25(1):1-6. 10.3344/kjp.2012.25.1.1.

Analgesic Effects of Intrathecal Curcumin in the Rat Formalin Test

• Han YK
• Lee SH
• Jeong HJ
• Kim MS
• Yoon MH
• Kim WM

• KMID: 2278108
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2012.25.1.1

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Curcumin has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antifungal, antitumor, and antinociceptive activity when administered systemically. We investigated the analgesic efficacy of intrathecal curcumin in a rat model of inflammatory pain.
METHODS
Male Sprague Dawley rats were prepared for intrathecal catheterization. Pain was evoked by injection of formalin solution (5%, 50 microl) into the hind paw. Curcumin doses of 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 microg were delivered through an intrathecal catheter to examine the flinching responses. The ED50 values (half-maximal effective dose) with 95% confidence intervals of curcumin for both phases of the formalin test were calculated from the dose-response lines fitted by least-squares linear regression on a log scale.
RESULTS
In rats with intrathecal administration of curcumin, the flinching responses were significantly decreased in both phases. The slope of the regression line was significantly different from zero only in phase 2, and the ED50 value (95% confidence interval) of curcumin was 511.4 microg (23.5-1126.5). There was no apparent abnormal behavior following the administration of curcumin.
CONCLUSIONS
Intrathecal administration of curcumin decreased inflammatory pain in rats, and further investigation to elucidate the precise mechanism of spinal action of curcumin is warranted.

Keyword

antinociception; curcumin; formalin test; spinal cord

MeSH Terms

Animals
Catheterization
Catheters
Curcumin
Formaldehyde
Humans
Linear Models
Male
Pain Measurement
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Spinal Cord
Curcumin
Formaldehyde

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Time course of intrathecal curcumin on flinching response during the formalin test. Curcumin was administered 10 min before the formalin injection. Data are presented as the mean of the number of flinches ± SEM of 5 rats at each time point.

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  Fig. 2 Dose-response curves of intrathecal curcumin on flinching response during phase 1 (A) and phase 2 (B) in the formalin test. Curcumin was administered 10 min before the formalin injection. Data are presented as the percentage of control. Each line represents mean ± SEM of 5 rats. Compared with control, *P < 0.05.

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