Abstract
ATTENUATING EFFECT OF FLECAINIDE ACETATE ON HERPETIC PAIN IN MICE INFECTED WITH HERPES SIMPLEXVIRUS.Asano K., Asahina S., Sakai M., Hisamitsu N., Oomori T., Hisamitsu T.Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo The influence of flecainide acetate (FA) on herpes-related pain responses was examined using mice infected with herpes simplex (HSV). BALB/c mice inoculated with HSV on the hind paw showed decrease innociceptive threshold, which appeared in the hind paw on the inoculatedside on day 6. Intraperitoneal adminstration of FA, a human injection grade,prevented decrease in nociceptive threshold dose-dependently in HSV-inoculated mice, which was firstly observed at a dose of 75 mg/kg, and peaked at doses more than 100 mg/kg. This antinociceptive effect of FA was attained peak at 60 min after administration and declined gradually to non-treated levels by 180 min.Intraperitoneal administration of FA at a dose of 100 mg/kg caused significant increase in b-endorphin (BE) levels in mid brain and hypothalamus from HSV-inoculated mice. These results strongly suggest that FA exerts antinociceptive effects on herpes-related pain through enhancement of BE levels in central nerveous system in HSV-inoculated mice. [Jpn J Physiol 54 Suppl:S247 (2004)]
