A rat pain model of vincristine-induced neuropathy

Vincristine belongs to the family of vinca alkaloids used for treatment of malignant tumors. Clinical application of these agents is often associated with dose-dependent painful neuropathy due to damages to the peripheral axons. A rat model of vincristine-induced hyperalgesia was developed through intravenous injection of vincristine by Aley et al. (1996) and was later modified by Nozaki-Taguchi et al. (2001) using continuous intravenous infusion of vincristine. This model provides consistent and long-lasting neuropathic pain states mimicking vincristine-induced pain conditions in human patients. Therefore, this model is a valuable means of studying the mechanisms and pharmacology of vincristine-induced neuropathic pain. In this chapter we describe in detail steps the generation of vincristine-induced neuropathy in rats through continuous intravenous infusion of vincristine.