Antinociceptive interaction between benfotiamine and resveratrol in capsaicin-induced licking.

In an attempt to provide more direct evidence concerning the possible antinociceptive effect of resveratrol-benfotiamine combination on neurogenic pain, we investigated whether resveratrol and benfotiamine administered alone or in combination decrease capsaicin induced nociception in mice. Before testing, the animals were placed individually in transparent glass cylinders, 20 cm in diameter, serving as observation chambers. After the adaptation period, 20 microL of capsaicin (1.6 microg/paw) were injected under the skin of the dorsal of the right hind paw. Animals were observed individually for 5 min after capsaicin injection. The amount of time spent licking the injected paw was timed with a chronometer and was considered as indicative of nociception. Animals were pretreated with resveratrol (56.2-177 mg/kg, i.p.), benfotiamine (100-1000 mg/kg, p.o.) and their combinations (11:1, 22:2, 44:4; 88:8 mg/kg benfotiamine:resveratrol). It was observed that resveratrol (ED50 = 104 +/- 8.2 mg/kg) was able to produce more important decrement of capsaicin-induced licking than benfotiamine (ED50 = 529.4 +/- 85.2 mg/kg). In addition, a synergistic interaction was observed between benfotiamine and resveratrol, suggesting that this combination could be useful in neurogenic nociception.