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Analgesic Effect of Piracetam on Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Induced by Chronic Constriction Injury of Sciatic Nerve in Rats

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Abstract

Despite immense advances in the treatment strategies, management of neuropathic pain remains unsatisfactory. Piracetam is a prototype of nootropic drugs, used to improve cognitive impairment. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of piracetam on peripheral neuropathic pain in rats. Neuropathic pain was induced by the chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve. Following this, piracetam was intraperitoneally administered for 2 weeks in doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, and pain was assessed by employing the behavioural tests for thermal hyperalgesia (hot plate and tail flick tests) and cold allodynia (acetone test). After the induction of neuropathic pain, significant development of thermal hyperalgesia and cold allodynia was observed. The administration of piracetam (50 mg/kg) did not have any significant effect on all the behavioural tests. Further, piracetam (100 mg/kg) also had no effect on the hot plate and tail flick tests; however it significantly decreased the paw withdrawal duration in the acetone test. Piracetam in a dose of 200 mg/kg significantly modulated neuropathic pain as observed from the increased hot plate and tail flick latencies, and decreased paw withdrawal duration (in acetone test). Therefore, the present study suggests the potential use of piracetam in the treatment of neuropathic pain, which merits further clinical investigation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Prem Suman for her invaluable guidance. The study has been funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, 110029, India

    Ashish K. Mehta, Yogendra Bhati & Chakra D. Tripathi

  2. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201306, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Krishna K. Sharma

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  1. Ashish K. Mehta
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  2. Yogendra Bhati
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  3. Chakra D. Tripathi
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Correspondence to Chakra D. Tripathi.

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Mehta, A.K., Bhati, Y., Tripathi, C.D. et al. Analgesic Effect of Piracetam on Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Induced by Chronic Constriction Injury of Sciatic Nerve in Rats. Neurochem Res 39, 1433–1439 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-014-1329-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-014-1329-8

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