THE EFFECT OF NIMODIPINE ON A RAT MODEL OF
PACLITAXEL – INDUCED PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY
IONUȚ COSMIN CIOTU1, DUMITRU LUPULIASA2, CRISTINA ELENA ZBÂRCEA1*, SIMONA NEGREȘ1
1Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and
Pharmacy, Traian Vuia no 6, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
2Pharmaceutical Technology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy,
Traian Vuia no 6, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
*corresponding author: cristinazbar@yahoo.com
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Abstract:
Patients undergoing chemotherapy often exhibit painful peripheral neuropathy as a side effect. Most neurons, including
sensory neurons [6] express multiple types of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC), thus suggesting a modulatory role of
VGCC in pain transmission. We evaluated the effect of nimodipine, a L-type calcium channel blocker, on a paclitaxelinduced
peripheral neuropathy model in rats. We used male Wistar rats (N = 60), divided into 6 equal groups: control (C),
paclitaxel (P), paclitaxel and nimodipine 30, 45 and 60 mg/kgbw (N30, N45 and N60), and paclitaxel and gabapentine (G).
We assessed the mechanical sensitivity for hyperalgesia and allodynia conditions, and also recorded the motor activity.
Starting from day 10 of the treatment, paclitaxel induced statistically different decreases in sensitivity to mechanical stimuli,
effect neutralized in the nimodipine and gabapentine groups. The registered results indicate nimodipine’s effectiveness in
reversing neuropathic hyperalgesia and allodynia produced by paclitaxel.

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