J Huazhong U Sci Med
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Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is a serious clinical problem for patients receiving cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential efficacy of pregabalin in chemotherapy-induced neuropathy in rats. A total of 35 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: group 1, naive control; group 2, treated with pregabalin (30 mg/kg p.o., for 8 days); group 3, docetaxel was given by single intravenous infusion at 10 mg/kg; groups 4 and 5, pregabalin at 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg respectively was orally administered for 8 days after the docetaxel treatment. ⋯ Our results showed that docetaxel induced mechanical allodynia, mechanical hyperalgesia, heat hypoalgesia, cold allodynia, and sciatic nerve impairment and substance P and CGRP release in DRG. However, oral administration of pregabalin (10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg) for 8 consecutive days significantly attenuated docetaxel-induced neuropathy by ameliorating heat hypoalgesia, cold allodynia, impairment of sciatic nerve and reducing the release of substance P and CGRP. The findings in the present study reveal that pregabalin may be a potential treatment agent against chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.