Ascorbic acid eliminated pain-induced peripheral neuropathy by modulation of nitric oxide pathway in rats

• Published in: Nutrire : revista de Sociedade Brasileira de Alimentação e Nutrição = journal of the Brazilian Society of Food and Nutrition 2019-10, Vol.44 (2), p.1-9, Article 8
• Main Authors: Saffarpour, Sepideh, Nasirinezhad, Farinaz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Analgesics; Clinical Nutrition; Food Science; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nitric oxide; Nutrition; Pain; Peripheral neuropathy; Rodents; Vitamin C
• ISSN: 2316-7874; 1519-8928; 2316-7874
• DOI: 10.1186/s41110-019-0098-1

Purpose Ascorbic acid (AA) diminishes superoxide and thereby prevents peroxynitrite formation from superoxide and nitric oxide (NO). As the neuropathic pain could be a consequence of a defect in antioxidant defenses and changes in reactive nitrogen species, the present study was designed to investigate the involvement of NO pathway in the analgesic effect of ascorbate in the chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve model in rats. Methods Neuropathic pain induced by CCI of sciatic nerve. Sixty-four adult male rats were randomly set aside to experimental groups (control, vehicle, and treatment received AA, treatment received AA and l -arginine or l -NAME). Ascorbic acid (1, 5 mg/kg) or saline injected intraperitoneally 2 weeks after CCI. Paw withdrawal threshold and response rate were assessed by a radiant heat and acetone spray test 30 and 60 min after injection. To investigate the possible implication of NO on the analgesic effect of 5 mg/kg of AA on the second week after CCI, 60 min after injection of saline or AA, animals received an intraperitoneal injection of l -arginine (500 mg/kg), or l -NAME (20 mg/kg) and behavioral tests achieved 20 min after on. Blood samples were collected from animal groups 2 weeks after the onset of treatment for evaluation of the activities of antioxidant defense system factors such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), and catalase. At the same time, lipid hydroperoxide (LPO) as a prooxidant marker, and ascorbic acid concentration also determined in plasma. Results Single injection of 5 mg/kg but not 1 mg/kg of AA decreased pain symptoms in the second week after CCI ( P