Flecainide reverses neuropathic pain and suppresses ectopic nerve discharge in rats

We investigated effects of flecainide, a Class IC sodium channel blocker, i n the rat chronic constrictive injury (CCI) and ectopic nerve discharge mod els. In the behavioral evaluation, 2, 6, and 12 mg/kg flecainide were intra venously given to the CCI model, and a dose-dependent analgesic effect was shown on both thermal hyperalgesia and tactile allodynia. In the electrophy siological evaluation using the ectopic nerve discharge model produced by s aphenous neurectomy, i.v. administration of 2, 6, and 12mg/kg flecainide su ppressed spontaneous discharge at the peripheral nerve level in a dose-depe ndent fashion as with the behavioral evaluation, but flecainide did not aff ect nerve conduction at the dose of 12 mg/kg. NeuroReport 12: 1869-1873 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.