Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 23, 2025

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities
07:23

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities

Published on: July 29, 2014

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Pinocembrin alleviates chronic morphine-induced analgesic tolerance and hyperalgesia by inhibiting microglial

Dongfeng Han1, Weiping Dong1, Wei Jiang1

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China.

Neurological Research
|May 16, 2022
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Pinocembrin effectively prevents and reverses chronic morphine tolerance by inhibiting microglial activation and neuroinflammation via STAT3 signaling. This offers a potential new strategy for pain management.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Chronic opioid-induced analgesic tolerance is a significant challenge in pain management.
  • Microglial activation plays a role in morphine tolerance.
  • Pinocembrin is known to suppress microglial activation in various disease models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if pinocembrin can alleviate morphine tolerance.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which pinocembrin affects morphine tolerance.

Main Methods:

  • Chronic morphine tolerance was induced in mice.
  • Behavioral assays were used to assess analgesic tolerance and hyperalgesia.
  • Effects on microglial activation, neuroinflammation, and STAT3 activation were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Pinocembrin suppressed and reversed existing morphine tolerance and hyperalgesia.
  • Morphine-induced microglial activation and neuroinflammation were reduced by pinocembrin.
  • Pinocembrin inhibited STAT3 activation, and STAT3 inhibition alone suppressed morphine tolerance.

Conclusions:

  • Pinocembrin prevents and alleviates chronic morphine tolerance.
  • The mechanism involves the inhibition of STAT3-mediated microglial activation and neuroinflammation.
Keywords:
PinocembrinSTAT3analgesic tolerancehyperalgesiamicroglia

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