Carrageenan oedema and spinal Fos-LI neurones are reduced by piroxicam in the rat.

Intraplantar carrageenan induced a peripheral oedema and c-Fos like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) in L4-L5 segments in the dorsal horn (DH) of the rat spinal cord. The total number of carrageenan evoked Fos-LI neurones was 153 +/- 10 per section, with a predominant localization in the superficial and deep laminae of the DH (46 +/- 4% and 32 +/- 2%, respectively). Pre-administered piroxicam (1, 2.5 and 5 mg kg-1, p.o.) dose-dependently reduced the number of Fos-LI neurones in both the superficial and deep laminae of DH, with effects being significantly strongest on the deep laminae Fos-LI neurones. The effects of piroxicam on the number of spinal Fos-LI neurones and on ankle oedema were positively correlated.