Dolor neuropático en pacientes afectados por la lepra / No disponible

Algunos pacientes con lepra pueden sufrir dolor crónico o dolor neuropático, tras el éxito del tratamiento. La prevalencia oscila entre un 17% y un 70% de los antiguos pacientes leprosos. El dolor neuropático se asocia con un deterioro de la calidad de vida de los pacientes y conlleva un elevado agravamiento de la morbilidad psicológica propia de los pacientes con lepra. El manejo de los pacientes con dolor neuropático puede requerir los servicios de salud durante muchos años y un elevado consumo de analgésicos

Some leprosy patients may suffer chronic pain or neuropathic pain after successful treatment. The prevalence ranges between 17% and 70 % of former leprosy patients. Neuropathic pain is associated with deterioration in the quality of life of patients and involves high worsening own psychological morbidity of patients with leprosy. The management of patients with neuropathic pain may require health services for many years and a high consumption of analgesic drugs

Mechanisms of the antinociceptive action of (-) epicatechin obtained from the hydroalcoholic fraction of Combretum leprosum Mart & Eic in rodents.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms of the antinociceptive activity of (-) epicatechin (EPI), a compound isolated from the hydroalcoholic fraction of Combreum leprosum Mart & Eicher. METHODS: were assessed in the model of chemical nociception induced by glutamate (20 µmol/paw). To evaluate the mechanisms involved, the animals , male Swiss mice (25-30 g), received EPI (50 mg/kg p.o.) after pretreatment with naloxone (2 mg/kg s.c. opioid antagonist), glibenclamide (2 mg/kg s.c. antagonist K + channels sensitive to ATP), ketanserin (0.3 mg/kg s.c. antagonist of receptor 5-HT(2A)), yoimbine (0.15 mg/kg s.c. α2 adrenergic receptor antagonist), pindolol (1 mg/kg s.c. 5-HT1(a)/1(b) receptor antagonist), atropine (0.1 mg/kg s.c. muscarinic antagonist) and caffeine (3 mg/kg s.c. adenosine receptor antagonist), ondansetron (0.5 mg/kg s.c. for 5-HT(3) receptor) and L-arginine (600 mg/kg i.p.). RESULTS: The antinociceptive effect of EPI was reversed by pretreatment with naloxone and glibenclamide, ketanserin, yoimbine, atropine and pindolol, which demonstrates the involvement of opioid receptors and potassium channels sensitive to ATP, the serotoninergic (receptor 5HT(1A) and 5HT(2A)), adrenergic (receptor alpha 2) and cholinergic (muscarinic receptor) systems in the activities that were observed. The effects of EPI, however, were not reversed by pretreatment with caffeine, L-arginine or ondansetron, which shows that there is no involvement of 5HT(3) receptors or the purinergic and nitrergic systems in the antinociceptive effect of EPI. In the Open Field and Rotarod test, EPI had no significant effect, which shows that there was no central nervous system depressant or muscle relaxant effect on the results. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the antinociceptive activity of EPI in the glutamate model involves the participation of the opioid system, serotonin, adrenergic and cholinergic.