Suppressive effect of intrathecal administration of diazepam on visceral pain induced by rectal instillation of formalin in rats

    HUANG Jingª²Hui, DENG Jiao, LIU Liª²Bing, YU Jun, FU Wenª²Ying

    1Team 12, Cadet Brigade, 2Center of Teaching Lab, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To explore whether diazepam has a suppressive effect on visceral pain at the spinal level. METHODS: By intrathecal drug administration, the effect of diazepam on persistent visceral pain induced by rectal instillation of formalin was studied. RESULTS: Rectal instillation of formalin induced obvious visceral pain responses, which occurred mainly within 0~75 min after the rectal administration of formalin. Intrathecal pretreatment with three doses of diazepam suppressed the visceral pain responses induced by formalin and the analgesic action of diazepam was mainly within 0~60 min after the rectal administration of formalin. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal pretreatment with diazepam suppresses the visceral pain induced by rectal instillation of formalin, which suggests that diazepam exerts some suppressive effect on visceral pain at the spinal level. ......