Abstract:Objective To investigate the role of the spinal dopaminergic neurotransmission in Hydrochloride Nefopam mediated antinociceptive effect. Methods Rat model of formalin induced pain was established. Concentration of dopamine in spinal dorsal horn was measured after intravenous or intrathecal administration of Hydrochloride Nefopam. Pretreatment of Sulpiride, a dopaminergic D2 receptor antagonist, was performed to determine association of dopamine with Hydrochloride Nefopam mediated analgesia. Results Intravenous injection of Hydrochloride Nefopam inhibited the flinching responses in phase I but not in phase Ⅱ. Intrathecally injected Hydrochloride Nefopam reduced the flinching responses in both phase I and phase Ⅱ in a dose dependent manner. Micro-dialysis study revealed a significant increase of dopamine in the spinal cord by intrathecal administration of Hydrochloride Nefopam but not with intravenous injection. Analgesic effects of intrathecally injected Hydrochloride Nefopam was not affected by pretreatment with Sulpiride. Conclusions Administration of Hydrochloride Nefopam relieves inflammatory pain in rats; analgesic mechanism of Hydrochloride Nefopam may not involve the dopaminergic transmission at the spinal level.