Fig. 1.

Blockade of perisciatic SIN-induced mechanical allodynias by intrathecal fluorocitrate, a glial metabolic inhibitor. Rats were assessed for low-threshold mechanical sensitivity (von Frey test) both before (baseline) and 1, 2, and 3 hr after completion of intrathecal drug administration. Replicating our earlier studies (Chacur et al., 2001; Gazda et al., 2001), low-dose zymosan induced a unilateral allodynia (A), whereas high-dose zymosan induced a bilateral allodynia (B). Although fluorocitrate had no effect in the absence of perisciatic zymosan (A), it greatly reduced both unilateral (A) and bilateral (B) allodynias induced by perisciatic zymosan. The 10 stimuli tested had the following log-stiffness values (value in grams is given in parentheses): 3.61 (407 mg), 3.84 (692 mg), 4.08 (1202 mg), 4.17 (1479 mg), 4.31 (2041 mg), 4.56 (3630 mg), 4.74 (5495 mg), 4.93 (8511 mg), 5.07 (11,749 mg), and 5.18 (15,136 mg). i.t., Intrathecal; Inj, injection; Veh, vehicle; perisci, perisciatic; Lo Zym, low-dose zymosan; Hi Zym, high-dose zymosan. Abbreviations apply to Figures 1-7.