Open Access Short report

Actions of N-arachidonyl-glycine in a rat inflammatory pain model

Rebecca Succar, Vanessa A Mitchell and Christopher W Vaughan*

Author Affiliations

Pain Management Research Institute, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, 2065, NSW, Australia

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Molecular Pain 2007, 3:24 doi:10.1186/1744-8069-3-24

Published: 30 August 2007

Abstract

Background

While cannabinoid receptor agonists have analgesic activity in inflammatory pain states they produce a range of side effects. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the arachidonic acid-amino acid conjugate, N-arachidonyl-glycine (NA-glycine) is effective in acute pain models.

Results

In the present study we examined the effect of NA-glycine in a rat model of inflammatory pain. Intrathecal administration of NA-glycine (70 – 700 nmol) and the pan-cannabinoid receptor agonist HU-210 (10 nmol) reduced the mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar injection of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). The actions of HU-210, but not NA-glycine were reduced by the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist AM251. The cannabinoid CB2 receptor antagonist SR144528 also had no effect on the actions of NA-glycine. In contrast, N-arachidonyl-GABA (NA-GABA, 700 nmol) and N-arachidonyl-alanine (NA-alanine, 700 nmol) had no effect on allodynia and hyperalgesia. HU-210, but not NA-glycine produced a reduction in rotarod latency.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that NA-glycine may provide a novel non-cannabinoid receptor mediated approach to alleviate inflammatory pain.