The Effects of Haloperidol on Acute Carrageenan-Induced Inflammation

Abstract

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.The objective of the study was to assess potential anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory effects of haloperidol, a classic typical neuroleptic, a butyrophenone derivative. It has been hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of some psychotropic drugs might become a rationale for their use for potential prevention of neurodegenirative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, which are known to include chronic inflammation as disease progression component. We looked at the effects of haloperidol on the acute carrageenan-induced inflammation of rat paws and showed that haloperidol with prolonged use (for 7 days prior to edema modeling) considerably increased the inflammatory response at 48 h. A single dose of haloperidol also stimulated the progression of inflammation but at earlier time points—at 3 and 4 h after carrageenan injection.