[Spinal anti-nociceptive effect of calcitonin in an osteoporotic model rat--functional recovery of descending serotonergic inhibition].

Although calcitonin is generally used to relieve chronic pain accompanying osteoporosis, little is known about what kind of noxious sensation is alleviated by calcitonin. We examined actions of calcitonin on nociceptive transmission in the spinal dorsal horn of ovariectomized (OVX) rats using in vivo patch-clamp technique. Inhibitory effect of serotonin on mechanical noxious inputs to dorsal horn neurons was reduced in OVX rats. This mechanical hyperalgesia observation in OVX rats was attenuated by calcitonin treatment.