Antinociceptive Activity of (-)-Carvone: Evidence of Association with Decreased Peripheral Nerve Excitability

Abstract

(؊)-Carvone is a monoterpene ketone that is the main active component of Mentha plant species like Mentha spicata. This study aimed to investigate the antinociceptive activity of (؊)-carvone using different experimental models of pain and to investigate whether such effects might be involved in the nervous excitability elicited by others monoterpenes. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, we observed that (؊)-carvone-treated mice exhibited a significant decrease in the number of writhes when 100 and 200 mg/kg was administered. It was also demonstrated that (؊)-carvone inhibited the licking response of the injected paw when 100 and 200 mg/kg was administered (i.p.) to mice in the first and second phases of the formalin test. Since naloxone (5 mg/kg, s.c.), an opioid antagonist, showed no influence on the antinociceptive action of (؊)-carvone (100 mg/kg), this suggested nonparticipation of the opioid system in the modulation of pain induced by (؊)-carvone. Such results were unlikely to be provoked by motor abnormality, since (؊)-carvone-treated mice did not exhibit any performance alteration on the Rota-rod apparatus. Because the antinociceptive effects could be associated with neuronal excitability inhibition, we performed the single sucrose gap technique and observed that (؊)-carvone (10 mM) was able to reduce the excitability of the isolated sciatic nerve through a diminution of the compound action potential amplitude by about 50% from control recordings. We conclude that (؊)-carvone has antinociceptive activity associated with decreased peripheral nerve excitability.

Phytochemical screening, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Chrysopogon zizanioides essential oil

“…Previous studies suggested that the CNS depression and the nonspecific muscle relaxation effect can reduce the response of motor coordination and consequently might invalidate the nociceptive behavioral tests results (Gonçalves et al, 2008). We did not see any interference with the motor coordination of the animals in the rota-rod test, therefore eliminating a nonspecific muscle relaxation effect of EO at the doses used.…”

“…Mice able to remain on the Rota-rod apparatus (AVS ® , Brazil) longer than 180 s (9 rpm) were selected 24 h before the test according to Gonçalves et al (2008). Then the selected animals were divided into five groups (n=8) and treated i.p.…”

Antispasmodic effects of Aloysia polystachya and A. gratissima tinctures and extracts are due to non-competitive inhibition of intestinal contractility induced by acethylcholine and calcium

“…Nevertheless, there were described anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of A. polystachya (Mora et al, 2005;Hellion-Ibarrola et al, 2008). Also, it has been described the presence of (-)-carvone in the essential oil of A. polystachya (Werdin-González et al, 2010), which was related to antispasmodic effect of Mentha genus (de Goncalves et al, 2008) as well as other terpenic compounds.…”

The monoterpene (–)‐carvone: A novel agonist of TRPV1 channels

“…and commonly extracted from its leaves (2). R-(-)-carvone (abbreviated as (-)-Cv) is an enantiomer of carvone being the major constituent of peppermint (Mentha spicata) EO and displaying antinociceptive and anticonvulsant activities in addition to other pharmacological effects (3,4). However, few studies have been proposed to elucidate the mechanisms involved with these pharmacological profiles of (-)-Cv at the cellular level.…”