[Inhibitory effect of propentofylline on chronic prostatitis pain in rats and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of propentofylline on the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and TNF-alpha and its action mechanism in the rat model of chronic prostatitis pain (CPP).

METHODS

We equally randomized 30 male SD rats to groups A (sham operation), B (CPP model) and C (propentofylline intervention). After modelling, the rats in group C received intraperitoneal injection of propentofylline at 2 mg/kg, while those in groups A and B were injected intrathecally with the same dose of normal saline. At 15 days after the treatment, we examined the expressions of GFAP in the spinal cord and TNF-alpha in the prostate by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The levels of GFAP and TNF-alpha were obviously lower in group A (2.56 +/- 0.16 and 1.34 +/- 0.05) than in B (16.79 +/- 0.72 and 3.46 +/- 0.05) and C (8.83 +/- 0.63 and 2.25 +/- 0.05), significantly increased in B as compared with A (P < 0.05). And the increase was markedly less in group C than in B (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Propentofylline inhibits chronic prostatitis pain in the rat model by suppressing the activation of astroglia and the release of inflammatory mediators.