Publication:

Antinociceptive evaluation of anticonvulsant gabapentin with a conventional nonopioid analgesic in phasic and tonic animal model of acute and chronic pain

Background Some antiepileptic drugs have been shown to be clinically efficacious in treatment of neuropathic pain and are being used by clinician.

Methods This study determined the analgesic effect of gabapentin in rats in biphasic animal pain model of acute and chronic inflammatory pain and compared its potency with a conventional nonopioid analgesic diclofenac.

Results Per oral administration of gabapentin produced no any marked effect on early phase response of formalin test, but significantly suppressed the late phase response, while diclofenac produced significant anti-nociceptive effect in both phases of formalin test.

Conclusion Thus, we have observed that gabapentin produced antinociception in second phase of formalin test, which reflects chronic inflammatory pain.