Effects of luteolin and luteolin-morphine co-administration on acute and chronic pain and sciatic nerve ligated-induced neuropathy in mice

Mahmoud Hashemzaei; Mina Abdollahzadeh; Mehrdad Iranshahi; Ebrahim Golmakani; Ramin Rezaee; Kaveh Tabrizian

doi:10.1515/jcim-2016-0066

Article

Effects of luteolin and luteolin-morphine co-administration on acute and chronic pain and sciatic nerve ligated-induced neuropathy in mice

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Published/Copyright: March 4, 2017

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From the journal Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine Volume 14 Issue 1

Abstract

Background

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a common condition accompanied by nerve injury. To date, there is no definite treatment approved for this disorder. In addition, many drugs that are used for NP cause adverse reactions. Luteolin is a naturally occurring flavonoid with diverse pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer. We sought to investigate luteolin effects on chronic, acute and neuropathic pain as well as its potential to increase morphine anti-nociceptive effects in mice.

Methods

Albino mice (20–25 g) were randomly divided into 14 groups (n=7) including morphine 1 mg/kg body weight +luteolin (5 mg/kg body weight), morphine (9 mg/kg body weight, i.p.), luteolin (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight), imipramine 40 mg/kg body weight and normal saline (NS) (0.9 %) as vehicle and subjected to hot plate test. Formalin test was done in the following groups: NS, diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg body weight, i.p.), morphine (9 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) and luteolin (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight).

Results

Administration of luteolin single dose (5 and 10 mg/kg body weight) significantly reduced neuropathic pain (p<0.05) in comparison to negative control. Anti-nociceptive effects of luteolin were comparable to imipramine as the standard positive control (p<0.001). Co-administration of luteolin and morphine potentiated morphine 1 mg/kg body weight painkilling effects (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Our results showed that luteolin alone reduces neuropathic pain. Furthermore, when co-administered with morphine 1 mg/kg body weight, luteolin potentiates morphine effects. Therefore, luteolin-morphine co-administration might be a valuable alternative for the conventional treatment.

Keywords: luteolin; morphine; neuropathic pain; sciatic nerve ligation

Acknowledgments

The study is a part of a Pharm. D. student thesis supported by research council of Zabol Medical University, Zabol, Iran.

Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

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Received: 2016-7-13

Accepted: 2016-9-26

Published Online: 2017-3-4

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2016-0066

Keywords for this article

luteolin; morphine; neuropathic pain; sciatic nerve ligation