Effects of imidazoline I2 receptor agonists on reserpine-induced hyperalgesia and depressive-like behavior in rats

Behav Pharmacol. 2019 Aug;30(5):429-434. doi: 10.1097/FBP.0000000000000454.

Abstract

Pharmacotherapies for fibromyalgia treatment are lacking. This study examined the antinociceptive and antidepressant-like effects of imidazoline I2 receptor (I2R) agonists in a reserpine-induced model of fibromyalgia in rats. Rats were treated for 3 days with vehicle or reserpine. The von Frey filament test was used to assess the antinociceptive effects of I2 receptor agonists, and the forced swim test was used to assess the antidepressant-like effects of these drugs. 2-BFI (3.2-10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), phenyzoline (17.8-56 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), and CR4056 (3.2-10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) all dose-dependently produced significant antinociceptive effects, which were attenuated by the I2R antagonist idazoxan. Only CR4056 significantly reduced the immobility time in the forced swim test in both vehicle-treated and reserpine-treated rats. These data suggest that I2R agonists may be useful to treat fibromyalgia-related pain and comorbid depression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Benzofurans / pharmacology
  • Depression / drug therapy
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fibromyalgia / drug therapy
  • Hyperalgesia / chemically induced
  • Hyperalgesia / drug therapy*
  • Idazoxan / metabolism
  • Idazoxan / pharmacology*
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology
  • Imidazoline Receptors / agonists
  • Imidazoline Receptors / metabolism*
  • Imidazolines / metabolism
  • Imidazolines / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Pain Measurement / drug effects
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reserpine / pharmacology

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Benzofurans
  • CR4056
  • Imidazoles
  • Imidazoline Receptors
  • Imidazolines
  • Quinazolines
  • imidazoline receptor 2
  • phenyzoline
  • 2-(2-benzofuranyl)-2-imidazoline
  • Reserpine
  • Idazoxan