Abstract

This investigation was aimed to study the analgesic effect of the essential oil of Cinnamomum camphora leaves on migraine mouse model induced by nitroglycerin and its possible mechanism. The chemical constituents of essential oil of camphor leaves were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the main compounds identified in essential oil were nerolidol and (E)-α-atlantone. The number of head scratching was recorded in the developed animal model. The contents of nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the serum and brain tissue of the mice were measured. The expression level of nuclear factor-kappa B of brain tissue was investigated using the Western blotting assay. Essential oil intervention significantly reduced the scratching number and decreased the levels of nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor-kappa B compared to the untreated group. Essential oil of camphor leaves has significant analgesic action on migraine by inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B/inducible nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide pathway.