Chronic nanocurcumin treatment ameliorates pain-related behavior, improves spatial memory, and reduces hippocampal levels of IL-1β and TNFα in the chronic constriction injury model of neuropathic pain

Background Memory deficit is a common cognitive comorbid in patients with neuropathic pain that need better treatment. Recent research revealed that nanocurcumin has an antinociceptive action and a protective effect against memory disorders, suggesting its possible effectiveness for the treatment of neuropathic pain and its comorbidity. Methods Adult male albino Wistar rats ( n = 32) were randomly divided into four experimental groups: CCI+ nanocurcumin, CCI + vehicle, sham + nanocurcumin, and sham + vehicle. Neuropathic pain induced by a chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve. Nanocurcumin or vehicle was injected intraperitoneally for 10 days. Behavioral assessment achieved to evaluate pain threshold in the von Frey test and radiant heat test, also spatial learning and memory examined by the Morris water maze (MWM) test. To explore the possible relation, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels of the hippocampus measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Our data showed that CCI caused neuropathic pain-related behaviors and spatial learning and memory disorders in rats. Chronic treatment with nanocurcumin significantly increased pain threshold ( P