Turkish Neurosurgery 2018 , Vol 28 , Num 2
Comparison of the Effects of Curcumin, Tramadol and Surgical Treatments on Neuropathic Pain Induced by Chronic Constriction Injury in Rats
Dilek CEYHAN1,Atacan Emre KOCMAN2,Engin YILDIRIM3,Orhan OZATIK4,Sule AYDIN3,Aydan KOSE2
1Osmangazi University, Medical Faculty, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Eskisehir, Turkey
2Osmangazi University, Medical Faculty, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eskisehir, Turkey
3Osmangazi University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pharmacology, Eskisehir, Turkey
4Osmangazi University, Medical Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Eskisehir, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.19824-17.0 AIM: Nerve entrapment syndromes are the most common causes of neuropathic pain. Surgical decompression is the preferred method of treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of curcumin, tramadol and chronic constriction release treatment (CCR), individually or together, in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Eighty male rats were divided into eight study groups. Group 1 was the sham group. Group 2 was the control group with established chronic constriction injury (CCI). CCI was also established in Groups 3?8. Group 3 underwent chronic constriction release (CCR). Groups 4 and 5 received curcumin and tramadol. Groups 6 and 7 also received curcumin (100 mg/kg daily, oral) and tramadol (10 mg/kg daily, intraperitoneal, 14 days) after CCR, respectively. Combined curcumin-tramadol treatment was applied to Group 8. Behavioral tests (thermal hyperalgesia, dynamic plantar, cold plate test) were performed on days 0,3,7,13,17, and 21. Tissue tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were analyzed in the nerve and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) samples on day 21. Histopathological examination was performed on the nervous tissue and DRG.

RESULTS: Tramadol-CCR and tramadol-curcumin significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. In the CCI-CCR-tramadol treatment group, TNF-? levels were significantly lower in the sciatic nerve tissue, and DRG and IL-10 levels were significantly higher in the sciatic nerve tissue.

CONCLUSION: CCI-CCR-tramadol treatment is highly effective in the symptomatic treatment of neuropathic pain. CCR-curcumin is associated with less degeneration and high levels of regeneration in the nerve tissue. Keywords : Curcumin, Nerve injury, Neuropathic pain, Surgery, Tramadol

Corresponding author : Dilek CEYHAN, drdceyhan@gmail.com