Analgesic effects of the COX-2 inhibitor parecoxib on surgical pain through suppression of spinal ERK signaling

Guo,Ya-Jing; Shi,Xu-Dan; Fu,Di; Yang,Yong; Wang,Ya-Ping; Dai,Ru-Ping

doi:10.3892/etm.2013.1118

Analgesic effects of the COX-2 inhibitor parecoxib on surgical pain through suppression of spinal ERK signaling

Authors:
- Ya-Jing Guo
- Xu-Dan Shi
- Di Fu
- Yong Yang
- Ya-Ping Wang
- Ru-Ping Dai
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Affiliations: Institute of Combined Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China, Department of Anesthesia, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China, Department of Anesthesia, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, P.R. China
Published online on: May 15, 2013 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2013.1118
Pages: 275-279

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Abstract

Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors are widely used for postoperative pain control in clinical practice. However, it is unknown whether spinal sensitization is involved in the analgesic effects of COX-2 inhibitors on surgical pain. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the spinal cord is implicated in various types of pain, including surgical pain. The present study investigated the role of spinal ERK signaling in the analgesic effect of the COX-2 inhibitor parecoxib on surgical pain. Surgical pain was produced in rats by surgical incision of the hind paw. Phosphorylated (p)-ERK1/2 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Pain hypersensitivity was evaluated by measuring the paw withdrawal threshold using the von Frey test. The selective COX-2 inhibitor parecoxib was delivered 20 min before or 20 min after the incision by intraperitoneal injection. Pretreatment with parecoxib markedly attenuated the pain hypersensitivity induced by incision. However, post-treatment with parecoxib produced minimal analgesic effects. Parecoxib inhibited the increase in spinal p-ERK expression following surgical incision. The present study thus suggests that the COX-2 inhibitor parecoxib exerts its analgesic effect on surgical pain through the inhibition of neuronal ERK activation in the spinal cord. COX-2 inhibitor delivery prior to surgery has more potent analgesic effects, suggesting the advantage of preventive analgesia for post-operative pain control.

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