Riboflavin reduces hyperalgesia and inflammation but not tactile allodynia in the rat

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) has been proposed as a prophylactic therapy of migraine. However, so far there are no preclinical studies about the analgesic properties of this vitamin. The current study was designed to investigate the possible antinociceptive, antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic effect of riboflavin in formalin, carrageenan-induced thermal hyperalgesia, and spinal nerve ligation models, respectively. Oral riboflavin produced a dose-related antinociceptive (6.25-50 mg/kg), antihyperalgesic (25-150 mg/kg) and anti-inflammatory (50-150 mg/kg) effect. Gabapentin (100 mg/kg, positive control), but not riboflavin (150-600 mg/kg), reduced tactile allodynia in neuropathic rats. Riboflavin-induced antinociception in the formalin test was reversed by pretreatment with NG-L-nitro-arginine methyl ester and glibenclamide, but not by NG-D-nitro-arginine methyl ester or naloxone. Our results indicate that riboflavin is able to produce antinociception and anti-inflammatory, but not antiallodynic, effect in the rat. The effect of riboflavin could be due to the activation of K+ channels or nitric oxide release, but not activation of opioid mechanisms.