Neuroprotective Effect of Matrine in Mouse Model of Vincristine-Induced Neuropathic Pain

Abstract

Chemotherapy drugs such as vincristine (VCR) can cause neuropathic pain, and there is still lack of ideal strategy to treat it. The current study was designed to investigate effect of matrine (MT) on VCR-induced neuropathic pain in animal model. VCR (75 μg/kg, i.p. for 10 consecutive days) was administered to induce painful neuropathy model in mice. MT (15, 30 and 60 mg/kg, i.p.) and pregabalin (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered for 11 consecutive days. Various tests were performed to assess the degree of pain at different days (1, 6, 11, 16, and 21). Von Frey hair, hot plate, cold-plate and paw pressure tests were conducted to assess the degree of mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, cold allodynia and mechanical hyperalgesia in the hind paw respectively. The electrophysiological and histopathological changes were also analyzed. Furthermore, tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC),superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total calcium (TCA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured to investigate possible involvement of MT in inflammation and oxidative stress. Administration of MT attenuated the VCR-induced behavioral alterations as well as electrophysiological and histopathological changes in a dose dependent manner. Further, MT also attenuated the VCR-induced oxidative stress (MDA, T-AOC, GSH-Px, SOD and TCA) and inflammation (MPO, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10). Taken together, MT ameliorated VCR-induced painful neuropathy, which might be attributed to neuroprotective effects by subsequent reduction in oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory actions.

Matrine reduces cigarette smoke-induced airway neutrophilic inflammation by enhancing neutrophil apoptosis

“…Thus, resolution of inflammation is key to treat COPD. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that matrine could suppress inflammation in the airway of mice exposed to CS based on its anti-inflammatory effect in other inflammatory diseases [29,37]. In our in vivo and ex vivo studies, we found that matrine dampened airway inflammation by reducing the influx of neutrophils but not macrophages in the airways of CS-exposed mice.…”

Acute cold allodynia induced by oxaliplatin is attenuated by amitriptyline

“…The use of oxaliplatin in experimental pharmacology has several advantages over other anti-tumor drugs used to model neuropathic pain in animals. Firstly, unlike other anti-tumor drugs such as vincristine, which requires repeated administrations to lower pain threshold (Gong et al 2016), the use of oxaliplatin for pain studies is much more convenient as this drug is able to induce neuropathic pain after only a single-dose administration. Secondly, in contrast to paclitaxel which requires the use of solubilizers (Cremophor EL, absolute ethanol) for its preparation Masocha 2015, Sałat andFilipek 2015), oxaliplatin solutions can easily be prepared by dissolving in a glucose solution.…”

The use of antioxidant agents for chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy treatment in animal models

“…Ferulic Acid (a phenolic phytochemical commonly found in fruits and vegetables) and Matrine (an alkaloid found in plants from the Sophora genus) were able to reduce the signs of vincristin‐induced peripheral neuropathy. The results were found through behavioural, electrophysiological, biochemical and histopathological analyses …”