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Old 09-29-2007, 10:48 PM
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fmichael fmichael is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: California
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fmichael fmichael is offline
Senior Member
fmichael's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: California
Posts: 1,239
15 yr Member
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Roz, just where do you come up with some of this stuff? Anyhow, check out this abstact, the link to the free full text article follows:
"Vinpocetine and piracetam exert antinociceptive effect in visceral pain model in mice," Abdel Salam OM, Pharmacol Rep. 2006 Sep-Oct; 58(5): 680-91.

Department of Pharmacology, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki, Cairo, Egypt. omasalam@hotmail.coml

The effect of vinpocetine or piracetam on thermal and visceral pain was studied in mice. In the hot plate test, vinpocetine (0.9 and 1.8 mg/kg), but not piracetam, produced a reduction in nociceptive response. Vinpocetine (0.45-1.8 mg/kg, ip) or piracetam (75-300 mg/kg, ip) caused dose-dependent inhibition of the abdominal constrictions evoked by ip injection of acetic acid. The effect of vinpocetine or piracetam was markedly potentiated by co-administration of propranolol, guanethidine, atropine, naloxone, yohimbine or prazosin. The marked potentiation of antinociception occurred upon a co-administration of vinpocetine and baclofen (5 or 10 mg/kg). In contrast, piracetam antagonized antinociception caused by the low (5 mg/kg), but not the high (10 mg/kg) dose of baclofen. The antinociception caused by vinpocetine was reduced by sulpiride; while that of piracetam was enhanced by haloperidol or sulpiride. Either vinpocetine or piracetam enhanced antinociception caused by imipramine. The antinociceptive effects of vinpocetine or piracetam were blocked by prior administration of theophylline. Low doses of either vinpocetine or piracetam reduced immobility time in the Porsolt's forced-swimming test. This study indicates that vinpocetine and piracetam possess visceral antinociceptive properties. This effect depends on activation of adenosine receptors. Piracetam in addition inhibits GABA-mediated antinociception.
http://www.if-pan.krakow.pl/pjp/pdf/2006/5_680.pdf

And here's another one, in this case looking at what may be a more potent "piracetam analog" called Nefiracetam:
"Nonopioid and neuropathy-specific analgesic action of the nootropic drug nefiracetam in mice," Rashid MH, Ueda H, J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2002 Oct;303(1):226-31.

Division of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Japan.

Nootropic drug nefiracetam and related compounds are used in diseases with learning and memory deficits. Recent studies have implicated relationships between learning, memory, and chronic pain. Thus, in the present report, we have studied the effects of nootropic drug nefiracetam on the thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia induced by partial sciatic nerve ligation or streptozotocin treatment in mice. In the thermal paw withdrawal test, p.o., s.c., i.t., and i.c.v. administration of nefiracetam dose dependently reversed the thermal hyperalgesia observed in nerve-injured mice. Nefiracetam (p.o. and i.t.) also significantly reversed the thermal hyperalgesia observed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. In the paw pressure test, p.o. and i.t. administration of nefiracetam dose dependently reversed the mechanical hyperalgesia observed in both nerve-injured and diabetic mice. In contrast, nefiracetam had no effect in sham-operated or control nondiabetic mice in all paradigms. Among other pyrrolidine nootropics (p.o.), aniracetam produced significant analgesic effects. Other analogs also had some, but not significant, analgesic effects. Finally, nefiracetam (p.o.)-induced analgesia in injured mice was not affected by opioid antagonist naloxone (s.c., i.t., and i.c.v.) but was dose dependently inhibited by nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine (i.t. and i.c.v.). The analgesic effect of i.t. nefiracetam was also blocked by i.t. mecamylamine pretreatment. Together, these findings suggest that nefiracetam, a new member of the piracetam group of cognition enhancers, could be a good therapeutic tool against neuropathic pain. We also demonstrate that nefiracetam-induced analgesic action was nonopioid in nature and was due to stimulation of nicotinic cholinergic system at spinal and supraspinal levels.
http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/cgi/co...full/303/1/226

I would urge folks to open and read both of the articles, the "discussion" portions are fairly interesting.

Mike
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