Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2013
Effects of chronic administration of amitriptyline, gabapentin and minocycline on spinal brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression and neuropathic pain behavior in a rat chronic constriction injury model.
In animal models of neuropathic pain (NP), promising results have been reported with the administration of minocycline, possibly through inhibition of spinal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. No data are available on the effect of amitriptyline and gabapentin on spinal BDNF expression. If the mechanism of action of the latter drugs does not involve brain-derived NP inhibition, further clinical research in BDNF is warranted. ⋯ Minocycline and amitriptyline both reduce NP behavior in a sciatic CCI rat model, but only minocycline reduces spinal BDNF, indicating different modes of action of these 2 drugs. The observed actions of minocycline closely fit the clinical needs for the treatment of NP.