European journal of pharmacology
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The present study was designed to investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) on recognition memory in the rat. For this purpose, the effects on memory exerted by post-training administration of the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-argininemethylester (L-NAME) and the NO donor molsidomine were assessed by using the object recognition task. ⋯ Molsidomine, 4 mg/kg, antagonized the L-NAME-induced performance deficits. These results indicate that NO is involved in post-training memory processes.
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Agents which decrease conductance of N-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels have been shown to attenuate measures of neuropathic pain in animal models and to provide symptom relief in humans. The omega-conotoxins have demonstrated efficacy but have a low therapeutic index. We have investigated the effects of a new omega-conotoxin, CVID (AM-336), and compared them with omega-conotoxin GVIA (SNX-124), omega-conotoxin MVIIA (SNX-111) and morphine in a spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain in the rat. ⋯ Of the omega-conotoxins, omega-conotoxin CVID showed the highest ratio of efficacy to behavioural toxicity. These observations show that intrathecal omega-conotoxins are effective in attenuating tactile allodynia in the rat without significantly affecting acute nociceptive responses. Omega-conotoxin CVID had similar potency to omega-conotoxin MVIIA but showed less toxicity in the therapeutic range.