Anti-Allodynic Effects of Levodopa in Neuropathic Rats

Abstract

PurposeLevodopa is the most effective anti-Parkinsonian agent. It has also been known to exhibit analgesic properties in laboratory and clinical settings. However, studies evaluating its effects on neuropathic pain are limited. The aim of the present study was to examine the anti-allodynic effects of levodopa in neuropathic rats.Materials and MethodsSprague-Dawley male rats underwent the surgical procedure for L5 and L6 spinal nerves ligation. Sixty neuropathic rats were randomly divided into 6 groups for the oral administration of distilled water and levodopa at 10, 30, 50, 70, and 100 mg/kg, respectively. We co-administered carbidopa with levodopa to prevent peripheral synthesis of dopamine from levodopa, and observed tactile, cold, and heat allodynia pre-administration, and at 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 240 min after drug administration. We also measured locomotor function of neuropathic rats using rotarod test to examine whether levodopa caused side effects or not.ResultsDistilled water group didn't show any difference in all allodynia. For the levodopa groups (10-100 mg/kg), tactile and heat withdrawal thresholds were increased, and cold withdrawal frequency was decreased dose-dependently (p<0.01). In addition, levodopa induced biphasic analgesia. Different dosage of levodopa did not impact on the rotarod time (p>0.05).ConclusionLevodopa reversed tactile, cold and heat allodynia in neuropathic rat without any side effects.

Dorsal root ganglion neurons and tyrosine hydroxylase—an intriguing association with implications for sensation and pain

“…In rats with CCI, intrathecally injected L-DOPA reduces mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, again through D2R actions [14]. Interestingly, the D2R-dependent antinociceptive effect seems to be enhanced after CCI [14] or spinal nerve ligation [2,76], possibly due to injury-induced D2R upregulation in pre- and/or post-synaptic sites in the dorsal horn [2]. …”