AI Article Synopsis

  • Neuropathic pain from nerve damage is a tough-to-treat condition, and Neurotropin is a drug commonly used in Japan and China to manage it.
  • The study found that Neurotropin lowers inflammation markers (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and inhibits Erk activation in the sciatic nerve after injury, suggesting it has local beneficial effects.
  • Additionally, Neurotropin helps preserve myelin basic protein levels, which could lead to new treatment strategies for neuropathic pain and nerve-related injuries.

Article Abstract

Neuropathic pain caused by nerve damage in the central and/or peripheral nervous systems is a refractory disorder and the management of such chronic pain has become a major issue. Neurotropin is a drug widely used in Japan and China to treat chronic pain. Although Neurotropin has been demonstrated to suppress chronic pain through the descending pain inhibitory system, the mechanism of analgesic action in the peripheral nervous system remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the local effects of Neurotropin on peripheral nerve damage in a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model. Neurotropin reduced mRNA expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the sciatic nerve 1 day after the injury. Activation of Erk was also inhibited locally in the Neurotropin treatment group. Since Erk activation results in demyelination along with dedifferentiation of Schwann cells, we investigated the expression level of myelin basic protein. Five days after the injury, Neurotropin attenuated the downregulation of myelin basic protein in the sciatic nerve in the CCI model. Local effects of Neurotropin around the injury site may result in discovery of new treatments for not only neuropathic pain but also demyelinating diseases and peripheral nervous system injury.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biologicals.2016.03.005DOI Listing

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