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Neuropharmacology

Effects of intrathecal 6-hydroxydopamine, α1 and α2 adrenergic receptor antagonists on antinociception of propofol in mice

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica volume 26, pages 186–191 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Aim:

To investigate the relationship between spinal cord norepinephrine, α1 and α2 adrenergic receptors and antinociception of propofol in mice.

Methods:

Kunming mice were used. Antinociceptive tests were investigated with the tail-immersion test and the acetic acid-induced writhing test. The effects of subcutaneous (sc), intrathecal (ith) and intracerebroventricular (icv) injection propofol on pain threshold were observed. The influences of pretreatment with ith 6-hydroxydopamine, α1R antagonist prazosin, or α2R antagonist yohimbine on the antinociception of propofol were studied.

Results:

Significant antinociception was produced by propofol (25, 50 mg/kg, sc) and propofol (20, 40 μg, ith) in tail-immersion test and acetic the acid-induced writhing test (P<0.05 or P < 0.01). Icv propofol (10, 20, and 40 μg) did not produce any effect on pain threshold in mice (P > 0.05). The 6-hydroxydopamine (5 and 10 μg), prazosin (5 and 10 μg), or yohimbine (5 and 10 μg) ith alone did not affect basal tai-flick latency (TFL) in conscious mice, but significantly reduced the TFL as measured by tail-immersion test in propofol (50 mg/kg, sc)-treated mice, compared with basal TFL and vehicle groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

Conclusion:

The spinal cord is a target of propofol antinociception. In mice propofol antinociception is partly mediated by spinal norepinephrine, α1R and α2R.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, 221002, China

    Zhi-jun Ge & Yin-ming Zeng

  2. Jiangsu Province People's Hospital of Yixing, Yixing, 214200, China

    Zhi-jun Ge & Yong-fei Tan

Authors
  1. Zhi-jun Ge
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  2. Yin-ming Zeng
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  3. Yong-fei Tan
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Correspondence to Yin-ming Zeng.

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Ge, Zj., Zeng, Ym. & Tan, Yf. Effects of intrathecal 6-hydroxydopamine, α1 and α2 adrenergic receptor antagonists on antinociception of propofol in mice. Acta Pharmacol Sin 26, 186–191 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7254.2005.00033.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7254.2005.00033.x

Keywords

  • propofol
  • spinal cord
  • antinociception
  • prazosin
  • yohimbine
  • norepinephrine

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