Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society
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J. Physiol. Pharmacol. · Dec 2012
Exogenous melatonin abolishes mechanical allodynia but not thermal hyperalgesia in neuropathic pain. The role of the opioid system and benzodiazepine-gabaergic mechanism.
Melatonin (MT) is a neurohormone synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland. MT plays an important role in the regulation of physiological and neuroendocrine functions. The purpose of this study was to assess the overall effect of melatonin on neuropathic pain, the type of melatonin receptor involved, and potential role of the opioid system and GABA(A) receptors. ⋯ The antiallodynic effect of MT was also abolished by flumazenil and picrotoxin. Melatonin influences the mechanical allodynia but not thermal hyperalgesia via activation of opioid system and benzodiazepine-GABAergic pathway. Antinociceptive effects of melatonin are mostly related to the MT1/MT2 receptors interaction.