Figure 2

Behavioral testing results for both models of neuropathic pain. Tactile (A) and thermal (B) sensory testing data for rats with or without (control) diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) receiving intranasal pregabalin are presented for multiple doses of pregabalin or saline. Intrathecal pregabalin delivery was also followed by measurements of tactile allodynia (C) and thermal hyperalgesia in diabetic rats (D). High doses of either intranasal or intrathecal pregabalin impacted upon these neuropathic pain behaviours in DPN. For rats with or without spinal nerve ligation receiving intranasal pregabalin, tactile (E) and thermal (F) sensory testing data are presented; intranasal pregabalin at high dose impacted upon both measures of neuropathic pain behaviour. Finally, intrathecal pregabalin also impacted upon both tactile allodynia (G) and thermal hyperalgesia (H) due to spinal nerve ligation when compared to saline delivery. Significant differences were detected between the diabetic rats receiving high dose (2.04 mg/kg/d) (*) and medium dose (0.51 mg/kg/d) (θ) pregabalin as compared to diabetic rats receiving saline delivery (non-matched ANOVA tests, F-values range between 1.98-22.86 for indicated groups and time points, n ≥ 5, p < 0.0125 after Bonferroni correction). Significant differences were detected between rats with spinal nerve ligation receiving high dose (2.04 mg/kg/d) (*) and medium dose (0.51 mg/kg/d) (θ) pregabalin as compared to rats with spinal nerve ligation receiving saline delivery (non-matched ANOVA tests, F-values range between 2.25-8.11 for indicated groups and time points, n ≥ 5, p < 0.0125 after Bonferroni correction) [n = 5-6 rats in each cohort for each time point]. Data for rats receiving low dose pregabalin were similar to data for rats receiving saline and are not shown.