Effect of Spinal and Systemic Clonidine Administration on the Postoperative Analgesia in Morphine-dependent and Naive Rats

Abstract

Post operative pain and its control remains one of the most important issues in the field of surgery and health care system. Formalin test has been used as a method for assessing pain and analgesia in rats. Systemic and spinally administered clonidine, an α2-adrenergic agonist, is proved to enhance postoperative analgesia. It has also been shown that morphine-dependent rats experience more chronic pain than naïve rats.