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Licochalcone A Attenuates Chronic Neuropathic Pain in Rats by Inhibiting Microglia Activation and Inflammation

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Abstract

Immune response plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Immune response-targeted therapy becomes an effective strategy for treating neuropathic pain. Licochalcone A (Lic-A) possesses anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. However, the potential of Lic-A to attenuate neuropathic pain has not been well explored. To investigate the protective effect and evaluate the underlying mechanism of Lic-A against neuropathic pain in a rat model. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) surgery was employed in rats to establish neuropathic pain model. Rats were intraperitoneally administrated with Lic-A (1.25, 2.50 and 5.00 mg/kg) twice daily. Mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency were used to evaluate neuropathic pain. After administration, the lumbar spinal cord enlargement of rats was collected for ELISA, Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis. Mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency results showed that Lic-A significantly attenuated CCI-evoked neuropathic pain in dose-dependent manner. Lic-A administration also effectively blocked microglia activation. Moreover, Lic-A suppressed p38 phosphorylation and the release of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 and interleukin-6. Our findings provide evidence that Lic-A may have the potential to attenuate CCI-evoked neuropathic pain in rats by inhibiting microglia activation and inflammatory response.

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Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81701178) and Natural Science Foundation of Shandong province (Grant No. ZR2017PH010).

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  1. Ping Li and Chao Yu have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation, the Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 247, Beiyuan Avenue, Jinan, 250033, Shandong, China

    Ping Li, Fan-Shuo Zeng & Qiang-San Sun

  2. Taian City Central Hospital, Taian, 271000, Shandong, China

    Ping Li, Chao Yu, Xiao-Jing Yuan & Qin Wang

  3. Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Cerebral Microcirculation in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 2, Yingsheng East Road, Taian, 271000, Shandong, China

    Xiaoyan Fu, Cundong Fan & Bao-Liang Sun

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  1. Ping Li
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Li, P., Yu, C., Zeng, FS. et al. Licochalcone A Attenuates Chronic Neuropathic Pain in Rats by Inhibiting Microglia Activation and Inflammation. Neurochem Res 46, 1112–1118 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-021-03244-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-021-03244-x

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