Endotoxin-induced local inflammation and hyperalgesia in rats and mice: a new model for inflammatory pain

Lipopolysaccharide, also known as endotoxin (ET), is a major constituent of the outer membrane of the cell wall of most gram negative bacteria. ET is known to cause a number of pathophysiological changes associated with illness including inflammatory pain. The aim of this study is to characterize the peripheral hyperalgesia induced by ET in rats and mice. Different groups of rats and mice received different doses of ET ranging from 0.6 microgram to 40 micrograms dissolved in 50 microliters saline and injected in the plantar area of the left hind legs. All animals were subjected to tail immersion (TF), hot plate (HP) and paw pressure (PP) tests, 2-3 days prior to ET injection and during the following 1-2 days. ET injections produced a dose-dependent decrease in the latencies of the HP and PP tests of the injected leg reaching a maximum decrease of 50-60% of the control with 20-40 micrograms ET at 9 h (rats) and 24 h (mice) after the injection. Almost complete recovery was observed after 24 h in rats and 48 h in mice. TF latencies showed a less but a significant decrease while PP of the opposite leg and all tests in saline-injected animals did not elicit significant variations and served as additional controls. Our results indicate that the use of ET-produced hyperalgesia is a valid model for local and reversible inflammatory pain, with minimal distress to the animal. This model can also be used to study the efficacy of various anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs and the molecular mechanisms of inflammation induced by bacterial invasion.