Lycopene and ketotifen potentiates the anti-hyperalgesic effect of gabapentin in PSNL-induced neuropathic pain in wistar rats

The present study is designed to investigate the involvement of antioxidant mechanism and role of mast cells in pathophysiology of neuropathic pain induced by partial sciatic nerve ligation. The effect was evaluated by assessing various behavioural parameters (thermal hyperalgesia, cold hyperalgesia), biochemical parameters (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase). Partial Sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL) significantly caused thermal hyperalgesia, cold hyperalgesia and oxidative damage as compared to normal and sham and group. Upon daily administration of combination of lycopene (50 mg/kg), ketotifen (10mg/kg) and gabapentin (100 mg/kg) considerably reversed hyperalgesia, cold hyperalgesia and also attenuated oxidative stress when compared to PSNL group. The results indicated that combination lycopene, ketotifen and gabapentin exhibited a potentiating effect in neuropathic pain by inhibiting degranulation of mast cells and also by reducing oxidative stress.