Antinociceptive effect of trans-resveratrol in rats:: Involvement of an opioidergic mechanism

trans-Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound with potent antioxidant activity has recently been shown to be effective against carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia. In the present study, the effect of graded doses of trans-resveratrol was studied using a hot plate analgesiometer in rats. trans-Resveratrol at graded doses of 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg i.p. produced dose-dependent analgesia. Pretreatment (20 min) with naloxone (1 mg/kg i.p.) blocked the analgesic effect. When the submaximal dose of trans-resveratrol (5 mg/kg i.p.) was combined with a submaximal dose of morphine (2 mg/kg i.p.), a potentiation effect was observed. The effect of trans-resveratrol (20 mg/kg i.p.) was also studied on morphine tolerance. Rats were divided into different groups: Group 1: morphine (10 mg/kg i.p.); Group 2: trans-resveratrol (5 mg/kg i.p.) administered 10 min before morphine (2 mg/kg i.p.); Group 3: trans-resveratrol (20 mg/kg i.p.) per se. Vehicle treated groups were run parallel. The treatment continued for 7 days. The occurrence of tolerance was estimated by comparing the antinociceptive effect of morphine with trans-resveratrol on day I and day 8. Both morphine and trans-resveratrol produced tolerance. However, in the group that received the combination of submaximal doses of trans-resveratrol and morphine, there was insignificant tolerance. These findings suggest that trans-resveratrol analgesia is mediated via an opioidergic mechanism and produces tolerance to its analgesic effect similar to morphine. (C) 2004 Prous Science. All rights reserved.