Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Meal Duration as a Measure of Orofacial Nociceptive Responses in Rodents
Published on: January 10, 2014
Effects of COX-2 inhibitor in temporomandibular joint acute inflammation
T C B Schütz1, M L Andersen, S Tufik
1Department of Psychobiology-Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925, Vila Clementino-SP-04024-002, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. tschutz@psicobio.epm.br
Abstract:
Since it is recognized that cyclo-oxygenase-2 mediates nociception and the sleep-wake cycle as well, and that acute inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) results in sleep disturbances, we hypothesized that cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor would restore the sleep pattern in this inflammatory rat model. First, sleep was monitored after the injection of Freund's adjuvant (FA group) or saline (SHAM group) into the rats' temporomandibular joint. Second, etoricoxib was co-administered in these groups. The Freund's adjuvant group showed a reduction in sleep efficiency, in rapid eye movement (REM), and in non-REM sleep, and an increase in sleep and REM sleep latency when compared with the SHAM group, while etoricoxib substantially increased sleep quality in the Freund's adjuvant group. These parameters returned progressively to those found in the SHAM group. Etoricoxib improved the sleep parameters, suggesting the involvement of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 enzyme in acute inflammation of the TMJ, specifically in REM sleep.
Related Concept Videos
Acute Inflammation III: Local and Systemic Effects
Acute Inflammation I: Inflammatory Response
Acute Inflammation II: Cellular Phase
Chronic Inflammation: Introduction
Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease: Prostaglandin Analogs as Mucosal Protective Agents
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can induce peptic ulcers by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, decreasing...
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...