Anti-inflammatory effect of the spirocyclopiperazinium compound LXM-10 in mice and rats

Anti-inflammatory drugs are clinically limited because of their side effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activities and mechanisms of the spirocyclopiperazinium compound LXM-10 (2, 4-dimethyl-9-beta-phenylethyl-3-oxo-6, 9-diazaspiro[5.5]undecane chloride). We found that LXM-10 produced a significant, dose-dependent decrease in xylene- and carrageenin-induced edema. The anti-inflammatory effect was attenuated by hexamethonium, methyllycaconitine citrate, atropine methylnitrate, and tropicamide. The serum level of TNF-alpha was reduced by LXM-10 in lipopolysaccharide-challenged mice, and this effect was also inhibited by methyllycaconitine and tropicamide. LXM-10 also reduced the prostaglandin E(2) concentration in rat paw tissue. LXM-10 minimised the carrageenin-induced pathological changes and did not affect mice heart rate. LXM-10 did not induce significant changes in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Median lethal dose (LD(50)) of LXM-10 was 1573.0 micromol/kg. Our findings suggest that LXM-10 has anti-inflammatory effects by activating alpha7 nicotinic and M(4) muscarinic acetylcholine receptors with limited side effects.