Gabapentin is thought to exert an effect through the voltage-dependent calcium channel. Vitamin E is a widely known antioxidant which neutralizes the harmful effect of ROS which is considered to play a prominent role in various painful conditions. This study was therefore conducted to assess the antinociceptive effects of gabapentin and vitamin E and the interaction of these drugs in the modulation of pain in rats subjected to a formalin test.

Sprague-Dawley rats with a lumbar intrathecal catheter were tested for their paw flinches by 5% formalin injection after intrathecal injection of gabapentin or vitamin E. After obtaining dose-response curves for each drug, the effect of the combination was tested by the total dose fraction value and isobolographic analysis.

When a single drug was injected intrathecally, significant dose-dependent decreases in flinches were shown only in the late phase. ED₅₀ values of intrathecal gabapentin and vitamin E in the late phase were 75.3 ± 9.58 µg, and 17.56 ± 1.65 mg/kg respectively. The combination of gabapentin and vitamin E produced dose-dependent decreases in the number of flinches in both phases induced by the formalin test. The ED₅₀ value of the combination was lower than the theoretical additive values in the late phase, but did not show a significant difference with the theoretical additive value.

Gabapentin and vitamin E (by itself) have no antinociceptive effect in the early phase; however their combination has shown an antinociceptive effect. In addition, they show additive effects in the late phase of the formalin test.