ZINC has recently been shown to alleviate inflammatory hyperalgesia. In the
present study, we showed that intrathecal, intraplantar or systemic inject
ion of zinc chloride significantly relieved thermal hyperalgesia in rats wi
th sciatic nerve injury. Alleviation of thermal hyperalgesia was dose depen
dent in each case, although higher doses were required for i.p. injections
(ED50 = 13.6 nmole) than for intrathecal (ED50 = 0.05 nmole) or intraplanta
r injections (ED50 = 0.3 nmole). Neither intrathecal nor intraplantar zinc
chloride influenced thermal nociception in normal rats without nerve injury
. The results provide the first evidence that zinc alleviates neuropathic h
yperalgesia. NeuroReport 10:1619-1623 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkin
s.