Progesterone Prevents Nerve Injury-Induced Allodynia and Spinal NMDA Receptor Upregulation in Rats

Abstract

Our results show that progesterone prevents allodynia in a rat model of sciatic nerve constriction and reinforce its role as a potential treatment for neuropathic pain.

Progesterone attenuates Aβ 25–35 -induced neuronal toxicity via JNK inactivation and progesterone receptor membrane component 1-dependent inhibition of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway

“…Evidence has showed that mPRs may also mediate the neuroprotective effects of progesterone [46]. Another study reported that progesterone selectively mediates NMDA receptors in sciatic nerve injury model [47]. So, in addition to PGRMC1, there are still other receptors implicated in neuroprotective mechanism of progesterone.…”

Spinal Endomorphin 2 Antinociception and the Mechanisms That Produce It Are Both Sex- and Stage of Estrus Cycle–Dependent in Rats

“…36,55 Additionally, estrogens 1,7,21,36 and progesterone 6,8,47,62 influence pain sensitivity in the absence of opioids. Estrogen/progesterone-dependent functionality and/or expression of signaling proteins critical for “clamping” spinal EM2 antinociception during diestrus could prove to be novel targets for developing female-specific pharmacotherapies for chronic pain management.…”

Progesterone increases the activity of glutamate transporter type 3 expressed in Xenopus oocytes

“…For example, progesterone has been shown to have analgesic and sedative properties (Frye et al, 2004;Van Broekhoven et al, 2006). Although an effect of progesterone on GABA receptors or opioid receptors has been proposed as the underlying mechanism (Dawson-Basoa and Gintzler, 1996;Pluchino et al, 2006), progesterone effects on glutamate signaling have recently received attention (Coronel et al, 2011;Ren et al, 2000). Additionally, progesterone and its metabolites have shown neuroprotective properties against traumatic brain injury (Stein, 2011).…”