Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
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J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol · Jan 2012
Role of NMDA and opioid receptors in neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve in rats.
The efficacy of opioids in neuropathic pain is still controversial. Earlier studies have suggested that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor binding can be affected by opioids and vice versa. The present study aims to explore the interactions between NMDA and opioid receptors using various combinations of drugs acting on these receptors. ⋯ Thus, our study establishes that neuropathic pain can probably be overcome using higher doses of opioids, and there exists some intimate relationships between NMDA and opioid systems that lead to pain modulation.