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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
Published on: July 16, 2014
Synaptamide modulates glial and neurotransmitter activity in the spinal cord during neuropathic pain
Anna Starinets1, Arina Ponomarenko1, Anna Tyrtyshnaia1
1A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok 690041, Russia.
Abstract:
N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine, or synaptamide, is an endogenous metabolite of docosahexaenoic acid that is known for synaptogenic and neurogenic effects. In our previous studies we have shown that synaptamide attenuates neuropathic pain, facilitates remyelination, and reduces neuroinflammation after the chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in rats. In the current study, we show that daily synaptamide administration (4 mg/kg/day) within 14 days post-surgery: (1) decreases micro- and astroglia activity in the dorsal and ventral horns of the lumbar spinal cord; (2) modulates pro-inflammatory (IL1β, IL6) and anti-inflammatory (IL4, IL10) cytokine level in the serum and spinal cord; (3) leads to a rise in synaptamide and anandamide concentration in the spinal cord; (4) enhances IL10, CD206 and N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase synthesis in macrophage cell culture following LPS-induced inflammation. Thus, the ability of synaptamide to modulate glial and cytokine activity indicates its potential for implementation in the treatment peripheral nerve injury.
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