Neuropathic pain treatment with xenon

Abstract

THE AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of xenon on neuropathic pain during parapulmonal injections in the rat model. Xenon is a drug for inhalation anesthesia that is assumed to have an analgesic effect when administered parapulmonary (similar to nitrous oxide and cyclopropane) and can later be used as an alternative analgesic drug in patients with pain syndrome that is not controlled by standard methods.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment used in vivo model of neuropathic pain by Bennet and Xie (1988) on rats with sciatic nerve transection. Additionally, a special scoring was adopted based on known behavioral changes of experimental animals (self-harm of limbs, neatness, activity, and bedding conditions). The control group was subcutaneously administered air daily for 5 days, and the experimental group received medical xenon at 40 ml/kg. The pain was assessed with the subcutaneous introduction of air and xenon in the experimental and control groups.
 RESULTS: Study results revealed that rats from the experimental group (xenon) showed fewer signs of neuropathic pain syndrome development compared to the control group (air).
 CONCLUSION: Therefore, parapulmonal injections of xenon showed a high analgesia effect in animal models of chronic neuropathic pain.