European journal of pharmacology
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Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is a novel Alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist. It decreases sympathetic tone and attenuates the stress responses to anesthesia and surgery. People exposed to cold suffer unpleasant thermal pain, which is experienced as stress and causes the release of noradrenaline from the sympathetic terminals. ⋯ A significant decrease of serum IL-6 and TNF-α was demonstrated in CCI+RCS and CCI+Dex groups. The therapeutic effectiveness of dexmedetomidine in neuropathic pain may be through inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines, primarily IL-6 and TNF-α. Moreover, cold stress may result in increased resistance to neuropathic pain.