Evidence for the involvement of descending pain-inhibitory mechanisms in the attenuation of cancer pain by carvacrol aided through a docking study

Life Sci. 2014 Oct 22;116(1):8-15. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2014.08.020. Epub 2014 Sep 16.

Abstract

Aims: The present study evaluated the carvacrol (CARV) effect on hyperalgesia and nociception induced by sarcoma 180 (S180) in mice.

Main methods: Carvacrol treatment (12.5-50mg/kgs.c.) once daily for 15days was started 24h after injection of the sarcoma cells in the hind paw (s.c.). Mice were evaluated for mechanical sensitivity (von Frey), spontaneous and palpation-induced nociception, limb use and tumor growth on alternate days. CARV effects on the central nervous system were evaluated through immunofluorescence for Fos protein. Molecular docking studies also were performed to evaluate intermolecular interactions of the carvacrol and muscimol, as ligands of interleukin-10 and GABAA receptors.

Key findings: CARV was able to significantly reduce mechanical hyperalgesia and spontaneous and palpation-induced nociception, improve use paw, decrease the number of positively marked neurons in lumbar spinal cord and activate periaqueductal gray, nucleus raphe magnus and locus coeruleus. CARV also caused significant decreased tumor growth. Docking studies showed favorable interaction overlay of the CARV with IL-10 and GABAA.

Significance: Together, these results demonstrated that CARV may be an interesting option for the development of new analgesic drugs for the management of cancer pain.

Keywords: Cancer pain; Carvacrol; Carvacrol (PubChem CID: 10364); Hyperalgesia; Monoterpene; Morphine (PubChem CID: 5288826); Nociception.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics / administration & dosage
  • Analgesics / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Cymenes
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Hyperalgesia / drug therapy*
  • Hyperalgesia / etiology
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Monoterpenes / administration & dosage
  • Monoterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Muscimol / pharmacology
  • Nociception / drug effects
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pain / etiology
  • Periaqueductal Gray / drug effects
  • Periaqueductal Gray / metabolism
  • Receptors, GABA-A / metabolism
  • Sarcoma 180 / complications*
  • Sarcoma 180 / pathology
  • Spinal Cord / drug effects
  • Spinal Cord / metabolism

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Cymenes
  • Monoterpenes
  • Receptors, GABA-A
  • Interleukin-10
  • Muscimol
  • carvacrol