Abstract:
: Analgesic drugs in a combination-form can achieve greater efficacy with lesser side effects
compared to either drug alone. The combination of drugs acting at different targets or mechanisms of
action has been recognized as an alternative approach for achieving optimal analgesia. In this study,
the analgesic effects of pregabalin (30, 60, 100, 200 mg/kg), curcumin (15, 30, 60, 100, 120 mg/kg), and 1:1
fixed-dose ratio of the pregabalin-curcumin combination were assessed using two acute nociceptive
pain models, the acetic acid-induced writhing and tail-flick tests in mice. The pregabalin-curcumin
combination produced a dose-dependent decrease in mean of writhes and an increase in the percentage
of antinociception by the acetic acid-induced writhing test. In the tail-flick test, the combination
also showed an improvement in antinociception indicated by the tail-flick latency, % antinociception,
and area under the curve (AUC). Isobolographic analysis of interactions demonstrated a significant
synergistic interaction effect between pregabalin and curcumin in both acute nociceptive pain models
with the experimental ED50 below the predicted additive line and the combination index < 1.
These findings demonstrate that the combination of pregabalin and curcumin exhibits a synergistic
interaction in mouse models of acute nociceptive pain.
