We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Acetaminophen reinforces descending inhibitory pain pathways.
- Authors
Pickering, G; Estève, V; Loriot, M-A; Eschalier, A; Dubray, C
- Abstract
The mechanism of the analgesic action of acetaminophen involves the serotonergic system. This study explores how acetaminophen interferes with serotonergic descending pain pathways. Eighteen rapid metabolizers of tropisetron were included in this double-blind cross-over study. After ethical approval, the healthy volunteers took 1 g oral acetaminophen (A) or placebo (p) combined with either the 5-HT3 antagonist tropisetron (T) (5 mg) or saline, intravenously, at weekly intervals. Mechanical pain thresholds, determined before and after a cold pressor test (CPT), were repeated seven times during the three post-dosing hours, and area under the concentration-time curves (AUCs) of the three treatments were compared. After CPT, AUC (%*min) of Ap (1,561+/-429) was larger than before CPT (393+/-382, P<0.05); these effects were totally inhibited by tropisetron. Acetaminophen reinforces descending inhibitory pain pathways; it suggests a supraspinal target for acetaminophen's antinociceptive action. This study also confirmed that there is a central serotonergic mechanism of action for acetaminophen that is not stimulus-dependent.
- Publication
Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 2008, Vol 84, Issue 1, p47
- ISSN
1532-6535
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1038/sj.clpt.6100403