Antinociceptive Properties of Ascorbic Acid: Evidence for the Mechanism of Action

Abstract

Background: Ascorbic acid is amongst important water-soluble vitamins and when used orally in high-doses it has been observed to relieve pain and reduce opioid use in patients. However no controlled trial has compared the antinociceptive effects of ascorbic acid with other analgesic groups on animal models, and investigated the involved mechanisms. Objectives: In the present study, the antinociceptive effect of vitamin C on male mice was investigated and compared with morphine and diclofenac. Also, possible mechanisms were assayed. Materials and Methods: Male albino mice were used in this study. Antinociception was measured using the writhing test, tail flick and formalin tests. Ascorbic acid was used in three doses (30, 150 and 300 mg/kg, IP) and compared with the antinociceptive effects of 10 mg/kg of morphine as an opioid analgesic agent and 5-10 mg/kg of diclofenac as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) analgesic agent. The antinociceptive effect of ascorbic acid (300 mg/kg) was compared before and after treatment with naloxone (4 mg/kg), ondansetron (0.5 mg/kg), atropine (5 mg/kg) and metoclopramide (1 mg/kg) in the writhing test. Results: Vitamin C caused dose-dependent antinociceptive effects in acetic acid writhing test (P < 0.05). It had no significant effect in the tail flick test. Meanwhile, vitamin C in high doses reduced pain in the second phase of the formalin test (P < 0.05). Morphine had higher nociceptive effects in comparison to ascorbic acid in the writhing test (P < 0.05). In the second phase of the formalin test the antinociceptive effects of vitamin C (300 mg/kg) was not significantly different with morphine at dose of 10 mg/kg. There was not significant difference between vitamin C (300 mg/kg) and diclofenac (10 mg/kg) in the second phase of the formalin test. Metoclopramide and ondansetrone reduced the antinociceptive effects of vitamin C. Conclusions:The results obtained from the acetic acid induced writhing test and second phase of the formalin test indicate that vitamin C possess antinociceptive activity especially on inflammatory pain. Ondansetrone and metoclopramide reduced the effects of ascorbic acid, which may be because ascorbic acid produced antinociception through mechanisms that may be involved in dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems.

In Vivo Screening for Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Syngonium podophyllum L.: A Remarkable Herbal Medicine

“…Such pain stimulus causes allow leaving of free arachidonic acid from the tissue phospholipid [46]. In response to pain due to irritation signals are transmitted to central nervous system and causes release of mediators such as prostaglandins which contributes to the increased sensitivity to nociceptors [47]. In this test highest inhibition (P < 0.01) was observed at highest dose of CME compared to other fraction.…”

“…Medicinal plants have been used as analgesic and antiinflammatory agents since the antediluvian era [23]. Now a day's, non-narcotics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and narcotics are the most famous and important classes of pain and inflammation remover or killer, however they have high risk of various side effects like renal, hepatic and gastrointestinal complications [24,25].…”

“…The species is native to a wide region of Latin America from Mexico to Bolivia and naturalized in the West Indies, Florida, Texas, Hawaii, and other places [27]. S. podophyllum L. leaf is used against dry skin, fungal infection, sore, itching, rashes and bruises [24,26,[28][29][30]. Leaves and bark of this plant are traditionally employed in the local folk medicine of Belize for their wound healing properties, whereas the leaf tincture is used to treat rheumatism, arthritis, pain and swelling [24,26,[28][29][30].…”

Quantitative determination of ascorbic acid content in some fruit peels obtained in Ado-Ekiti by redox titration

“…Ascorbic acid is important to the body for many reasons. It helps to regulate blood pressure, reduction of cholesterol level, scavenging of free radicals which are associated to many complications like acceleration in aging [3,4,5,6].…”