Title |
N-Acetyl-Cysteine, a Drug that Enhances the Endogenous Activation of Group-II Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors, Inhibits Nociceptive Transmission in Humans
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Published in |
Molecular Pain, March 2015
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DOI | 10.1186/s12990-015-0009-2 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Andrea Truini, Serena Piroso, Erica Pasquale, Serena Notartomaso, Giulia Di Stefano, Roberta Lattanzi, Giuseppe Battaglia, Ferdinando Nicoletti, Giorgio Cruccu |
Abstract |
Emerging research seeking novel analgesic drugs focuses on agents targeting group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors). N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) enhances the endogenous activation of mGlu2/3 receptors by activating the glial glutamate:cystine membrane exchanger. Here, we examined whether NAC inhibits nociceptive responses in humans and animals. We tested the effect of oral NAC (1.2 g) on thermal-pain thresholds and laser-evoked potentials in 10 healthy volunteers, according to a crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, and the effect of NAC (100 mg/kg, i.p.) on the tail-flick response evoked by radiant heat stimulation in mice. In healthy subjects, NAC treatment left thermal-pain thresholds unchanged, but significantly reduced pain ratings to laser stimuli and amplitudes of laser-evoked potentials. NAC induced significantly greater changes in these measures than placebo. In the tail-flick test, NAC strongly reduced the nocifensive reflex response to radiant heat. The action of NAC was abolished by the preferential mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist, LY341495 (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Our findings show for the first time that NAC inhibits nociceptive transmission in humans, and does the same in mice by activating mGlu2/3 receptors. These data lay the groundwork for investigating the therapeutic potential of NAC in patients with chronic pain. |
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