Evaluation of Anti-nociceptive Effect of Tolperisone by Comparing Its Effect with Tramadol in Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is caused by a lesion or disease of somatosensory nervous system and treatment of neuropathic pain remains challenge. The purpose of present study was to evaluate efficacy of Tolperisone, a centrally acting muscle relaxant in reducing neuropathic pain and also attempt to establish the mechanism of action of Tolperisone by comparing its effectiveness with standard drug Tramadol. Neuropathic pain was induced in rats using Sciatic Inflammatory Neuritis Model (SINM). The Successful induction of neuropathic pain was evaluated by observing hyperalgesia and allodynia in rats exposed to various stimuli. Effectiveness of Tolperisone (10mg/kg) in treatment of Neuropathic pain was evaluated by comparing the results obtained with Standard drug Tramadol (10mg/kg). The findings of the present study demonstrate that the Sciatic Inflammatory Neuritis Model (SINM) neuropathic pain result in severe changes in behavioral responses producing mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia and cold-allodynia. Also our results indicate that voltage-gated sodium channel probably contributes to development of hyperalgesia and allodynia in the SIN. This study shows that Tolperisone is a potent anti-hyperalgesic and anti-Allodynic compound in rats and emphasizes the concept that blockade of Na+ channels may be beneficial for pain treatment in humans.