1. Academic Validation
  2. GW406381, a novel COX-2 inhibitor, attenuates spontaneous ectopic discharge in sural nerves of rats following chronic constriction injury

GW406381, a novel COX-2 inhibitor, attenuates spontaneous ectopic discharge in sural nerves of rats following chronic constriction injury

  • Pain. 2007 Mar;128(1-2):78-87. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.08.032.
Fei-Yue Zhao " href="affiliation-1" ref="linksrc=author_aff"> # 1 Dave Spanswick Jo C Martindale Alison J Reeve Iain P Chessell
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 NeuroSolutions Ltd, P.O. Box 3517, Coventry CV4 7ZS, UK. fyzhao@neurosolutionsltd.com
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

There are several lines of evidence to suggest that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays an important role in the generation and maintenance of neuropathic pain states following peripheral nerve injury. However, COX-2 inhibitors are generally ineffective in reversing mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia in models of neuropathic hypersensitivity. Here, we have investigated the effects of GW406381, a novel COX-2 Inhibitor, on mechanical allodynia, hyperalgesia and generation of spontaneous ectopic discharge in rats following chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and compared it with rofecoxib. GW406381 (5mg/kg, 5 days of treatment) significantly reversed the CCI-induced decrease in paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs), assessed using both von Frey hair and paw pressure tests, whereas an equi-effective dose of rofecoxib (5mg/kg, 5 days of treatment) in inflammatory pain models was ineffective. In rats treated with GW406381, the proportion of fibres showing spontaneous activity was significantly lower (15.58%) than that in the vehicle (32.67%)- and rofecoxib (39.66%)-treated rats. Ibuprofen, a non-selective COX Inhibitor, at 5mg/kg, orally dosed three times a day for 5 days did not significantly affect the PWTs in CCI rats. In naïve rats, GW406381 did not significantly change the PWTs. These results illustrate that COX-2 may indeed play an important role in the maintenance of neuropathic pain following nerve injury, but that only certain COX-2 inhibitors, such as GW406381, are effective in this paradigm. Whilst the mechanisms underlying this differential effect of GW406381 are not clear, differences in drug/Enzyme kinetic interactions may be a key contributing factor.

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