The effect of suramin on mechanical allodynia developing in melanoma-implanted mice

Suramin has been extensively evaluated as an anti-cancer agent. Interestingly, it has been shown that it exerts an analgesic effect in hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients. There have been no reports, however, concerning the evaluation of suramin in animal cancer pain models. Mechanical allodynia development was measured on post implantation day (PID) s 0 - 28 in B 16-F1 melanoma cellimplanted mice. Acute analgesic efficacies of drugs were evaluated on PID 20 when degrees of allodynia reached almost the maximum. Mechanical allodynia progressed at the edge of the tumor from PID 14 to PID 17, being in accord with the growth of the melanoma, and was significant on PIDs 17 - 21. Suramin partially but significantly reduced the mechanical allodynia at 300 mg/kg i. p. without inducing any apparent behavioral abnormality in the mice. Suramin has an analgesic effect on cancer pain caused by melanoma growth in mice, suggesting that it has potential for improving cancer pain.