Previous studies showed that triptans and other 5-HT_1B/1D-receptor agonists attenuate hyper-responsiveness to mechanical stimulation of the face in a rat model of trigeminal neuropathic pain, probably by activating 5-HT_1B/1D-receptors on primary afferent nociceptive fibers. We now tested whether blockade of post-synaptic receptors for the excitatory amino acid glutamate released by these fibers would increase this action. We thus evaluated whether (±)1-hydroxy-3-aminopyrrolidine-2-one (HA-966), an antagonist at the glycine/d-serine site of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-receptors, would potentiate the anti-allodynic action of dihydroergotamine and zolmitriptan in rats with chronic constriction injury to the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION). Complementary studies were performed with other NMDA-receptor ligands and in rats with chronic constriction injury to the sciatic nerve (CCI-SN) for comparison.

Injury was produced by loose ligatures of the nerves. Responsiveness to mechanical stimulation (vibrissae or hindpaw territories) with von Frey filaments was used to evaluate allodynia 2weeks after nerve ligature. Rats received NMDA-receptor ligands or saline 20min before dihydroergotamine (25–100μg/kg, i.v.) or zolmitriptan (25–100μg/kg, s.c.).

HA-966 (2.5mg/kg, s.c.), inactive on its own, enhanced the anti-allodynic effects of dihydroergotamine (eightfold increase) and zolmitriptan (threefold increase) in CCI-ION rats, but these drugs exerted no effects in allodynic CCI-SN rats. NMDA-receptor blockade by memantine (5mg/kg, i.p.) also enhanced, whereas activation at glycine/NMDA site by d-cycloserine (3mg/kg, i.p.) reduced the anti-allodynic properties of zolmitriptan in CCI-ION rats. Combined administration of NMDA-receptor antagonist and 5-HT_1B/1D-receptor agonist may be a promising approach for alleviating trigeminal neuropathic pain.