astaxanthine and Pain

One of the main functions of the sensory system in our body is to maintain somatosensory homeostasis. Recent reports have led to a significant advance in our understanding of pain signaling mechanisms; however, the exact mechanisms of pain transmission have remained unclear. There is an urgent need to reveal the precise signaling mediators of pain to provide alternative therapeutic agents with more efficacy and fewer side effects. Accordingly, although the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and anti-neuropathic effects of astaxanthin (AST) have been previously highlighted, its peripheral antinociceptive mechanisms are not fully understood. In this line, considering the engagement of l-arginine/nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic GMP (cGMP)/potassium channel (KATP) signaling pathway in the antinociceptive responses, the present study evaluated its associated role in the antinociceptive activity of AST. Male mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with l-arginine (100 mg/kg), SNAP (1 mg/kg), L-NAME (30 mg/kg), sildenafil (5 mg/kg), and glibenclamide (10 mg/kg) alone and prior to the most effective dose of AST. Following AST administration, intraplantarly (i.pl) injection of formalin was done, and pain responses were evaluated in mice during the primary (acute) and secondary (inflammatory) phases of formalin test. The results highlighted that 10 mg/kg i.p. dose of AST showed the greatest antinociceptive effect. Besides, while L-NAME and glibenclamide reduced the antinociceptive effect of AST, it was significantly increased by l-arginine, SNAP and sildenafil during both the primary and secondary phases of formalin test. These data suggest that the antinociceptive activity of AST is passing through the l-arginine/NO/cGMP/KATP pathway.

Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Arginine; Cyclic GMP; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Glyburide; KATP Channels; Male; Mice; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitric Oxide; Pain; Signal Transduction; Sildenafil Citrate; Xanthophylls

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease and a leading cause of adult disability. Since there is no cure for OA and no effective treatment to slow its progression, current pharmacologic treatments, such as analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), only alleviate symptoms, such as pain and inflammation, but do not inhibit the disease process. Moreover, chronic intake of these drugs may result in severe adverse effects. For these reasons, patients have turned to the use of various complementary and alternative approaches, including diverse dietary supplements and nutraceuticals, in an effort to improve symptoms and manage or slow disease progression. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-osteoarthritic effects of FlexPro MD

Topics: Animals; Cartilage, Articular; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Euphausiacea; Hyaluronic Acid; Inflammation; Iodoacetates; Male; Osteoarthritis; Pain; Phytotherapy; Plant Oils; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Treatment Outcome; Xanthophylls

Carrageenan produces both inflammation and pain when injected in mouse paws via enhancement of reactive oxygen species formation. We have investigated an effect of astaxanthin extracted from Litopenaeus vannamei in carrageenan-induced mice paw edema and pain. The current study demonstrates interesting effects from astaxanthin treatment in mice: an inhibition of paw edema induced in hind paw, an increase in mechanical paw withdrawal threshold and thermal paw withdrawal latency, and a reduction in the amount of myeloperoxidase enzyme and lipid peroxidation products in the paw. Furthermore the effect was comparable to indomethacin, a standard treatment for inflammation symptoms. Due to adverse effects of indomethacin on cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems, our study suggests promising prospect of astaxanthin extract as an anti-inflammatory alternative against carrageenan-induced paw edema and pain behavior.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Carrageenan; Edema; Hindlimb; Inflammation; Mice; Pain; Penaeidae; Xanthophylls

FlexPro MD

Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Arthritis, Experimental; Cyclooxygenase 2; Cytokines; Dietary Supplements; Euphausiacea; Gene Expression; Hyaluronic Acid; Inflammation; Lipopolysaccharides; Macrophages; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; NF-kappa B; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Oils; Pain; RAW 264.7 Cells; RNA, Messenger; Xanthophylls