Reduced Pain Responses With a Digital Automatic Syringe: Behavioral and Molecular Evidence in a Rodent Formalin Model

Area of Science:

• Pain research
• Neuroscience
• Medical device technology

Background:

• Manual syringe injections cause variable pain due to inconsistent pressure and speed.
• This variability complicates clinical procedures and experimental outcomes.
• The I-ject™ digital automatic syringe was developed to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of the I-ject™ automatic syringe versus manual syringes in reducing pain.
• To evaluate the impact of automated injections on nociceptive behavioral and molecular responses.
• To assess the potential of the I-ject™ system in preclinical and clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A formalin-induced acute pain model in rats was used.
• Nociceptive behaviors (limping, licking) were recorded after injections.
• Spinal cord tissue was analyzed for pain-related gene expression using quantitative real-time PCR.

Main Results:

• The I-ject™ group showed significantly reduced limping (30.6%) and licking (66.0%) compared to the manual syringe group.
• Expression of pain-marker genes, including c-fos and GFAP, was significantly lower in the automatic syringe group.
• Downregulation of Oprl1, Htr2a, and Oprm1 indicated attenuated neuronal and glial activation.

Conclusions:

• The I-ject™ automatic syringe effectively reduced behavioral pain signs and molecular markers of nociceptive activation in a rodent model.
• This digital injection system demonstrates potential as a safer and more consistent alternative to manual syringes.
• Findings support the use of automated injection systems in research and clinical practice.