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Synergetic Analgesia of Propentofylline and Electroacupuncture by Interrupting Spinal Glial Function in Rats

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Abstract

Previous studies indicated that disruption of glial function in the spinal cord enhanced electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia in arthritic rats, suggesting glia is involved in processing EA analgesia. To probe into the potential value for clinical practice, the present study was to investigate the effect of propentofylline, a glia inhibitor, on EA analgesia in rats. Mechanical allodynia induced by tetanic stimulation of sciatic nerve (TSS) was used as a pain model. On day 7 after TSS, EA treatment induced a significant increase in paw withdrawal threshold to mechanical stimulation. Intrathecal or intraperitoneal injection of propentofylline relieved TSS-induced mechanical allodynia. The combination of low dosage of propentofylline and EA produced more potent anti-allodynia than propentofylline or EA alone. Immunohistochemistry exhibited that TSS-induced activation of microglia and astrocytes was inhibited significantly by propentofylline. These results indicate that propentofylline and EA induce synergetic analgesia by interrupting spinal glial function.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2007CB512502 and 2007CB512303) and grants from National Nature Science Found of China (No. 30600178 and 30830044).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Room 1201, Ming-Dao Building, 138 Yi-Xue-Yuan Road, 200032, Shanghai, China

    Ling-Li Liang, Jia-Le Yang, Ning Lü, Xi-Yao Gu, Yu-Qiu Zhang & Zhi-Qi Zhao

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  1. Ling-Li Liang
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  2. Jia-Le Yang
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  3. Ning Lü
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  4. Xi-Yao Gu
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Correspondence to Zhi-Qi Zhao.

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Ling-Li Liang, Jia-Le Yang contributed equally.

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Liang, LL., Yang, JL., Lü, N. et al. Synergetic Analgesia of Propentofylline and Electroacupuncture by Interrupting Spinal Glial Function in Rats. Neurochem Res 35, 1780–1786 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-010-0244-x

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