RESUMO
<p><b>AIM</b>To study the effect of CGRP receptor antagonist CGRP8-37 on nociceptive response and expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and content of nitric oxide (NO) in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord of rats during formalin-induced inflammatory pain.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using formalin injection into right hind paw induced inflammatory pain. Counting the times of flinching reflex was used to observe the degree of spontaneous pain. NADPH-d histochemistry was used to observe the changes of NOS expression. The content of NO was observed by measuring the contents of nitrate/nitrite (NO3- / NO2-).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>spontaneous pain behavioral was elicited by formalin injection. The NOS expression and NO content significantly increased in the spinal cord at 24 h after formalin injection. Intrathecal injection of CGRP8-37 could significantly inhibit the response of spontaneous pain and the increases of NOS expression and NO content induced by formalin injection.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The activation of CGRP receptors enhances NOS expression and NO production in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord during formalin-induced inflammatory pain.</p>