Analgesic synergism of gabapentin and carbamazepine in rat model of diabetic neuropathic pain

• Main Authors: Abdullah Al-Mahmood, Sinan Mohammed, Che Abdullah, Shahrin Tarmizi, Nik Ahmad, Nik Nur Fatnoon, Mohamed, Abdul Hadi, Abdul Razak, Tariq
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: University of Benin 2016
• Subjects: RM300 Drugs and their action
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/47664/1/Comparative_study_%28TJP.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/47664/4/47664_Analgesic_synergism_of_gabapentin.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/47664/7/47664-Analgesic%20synergism%20of%20gabapentin%20and%20carbamazepine%20in%20rat%20model%20of%20diabetic%20neuropathic%20pain_SCOPUS.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/47664/; http://www.tjpr.org/admin/12389900798187/2016_15_6_11.pdf
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Purpose: To evaluate synergy in the analgesic effects of a combination therapy of carbamazepine (CBZ) and gabapentin (GBP) in diabetic neuropathic pain. Methods: Neuropathic pain was produced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at 60 mg/kg. CBZ, GBP, and their combination were orally administered at varying doses (GBP 30 - 180 mg/kg; CBZ 20 - 40 mg/kg) comparable to their therapeutic doses in humans. Nociceptive responses in the diabetic rats were assessed using hot plate test. Results: Hot plate latency significantly increased with oral administration of GBP at a dose of 180 mg/kg when compared with control group (p < 0.05), while at a dose of 90 mg/kg, the increase was not significant. Oral administration of CBZ at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg did not produce any significant impact on hot plate latency. However, a combination of GBP at 90 mg/kg and CBZ at 20 mg/kg produced significant increase in latency, compared with control group and other groups (p < 0.05), except the group that received 180 mg/kg GBP. The combination of low dose GBP 30 mg/kg and carbamazepine 30 mg/kg had no significant effect on latency (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The results obtained in this study provide useful information on the combination therapy of GBP and CBZ, which may be applied in the treatment of pain in diabetic neuropathy.