The antinociceptive role of central arginine vasopressin is involved in the endogenous opiate peptide, serotonin and acetylcholine systems

Abstract

Our previous work has demonstrated that arginine vasopressin (AVP) plays a role in pain modulation. The present study investigated which kinds of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters in central nervous system might be involved in AVP antinociceptive role in the rat. The results showed that (1) intraventricular injection (icv) of V1 receptor antagonist [d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP] and V2 receptor antagonist [d(CH2)5[D-Ile2, Ile4, Ala9-NH2]AVP] blocked the antinociceptive effect induced by AVP (icv), (2) the opiate recaptor antagonist (naloxone) reversed the antinociceptive effect induced by AVP (icv), and (3) both the serotonin receptor antagonist (cypoheptadine) and M receptor antagonist (atropine) could attenuate the antinociceptive effect induced by AVP (icv); but (4) oxytocin, dopamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), N, α or β receptor antagonist did not influence the antinociceptive effect induced by AVP (icv). The data suggested that AVP antinociceptive role was involved in the endogenous opiate peptide, serotonin and acetylcholine systems in central nervous system

Role of central arginine vasopressin receptors in the analgesic effect of CDP-choline on acute and neuropathic pain

“…In addition, Li and colleagues showed that intracerebroventricular injection of AVP V 1 and AVP V 2 receptor antagonists blocked the antinociceptive effect induced by centrally administered AVP and further suggested that the analgesic effect of AVP involved endogenous opioidergic and cholinergic systems in the CNS [22]. Several studies have suggested that ACh may regulate the pain process.…”