Analgesic-antiinflammatory drugs inhibit orbicularis oculi reflexes in humans via a central mode of action.

1. A cross-over single blind study examined the possible central effects of non-opioid analgesic drugs on the trigeminal reflexes. 2. The corneal reflex and blink reflex (R1, R2) were recorded electromyographically and response areas measured in healthy volunteers before and after intramuscular injection of piroxicam (40 mg); and after intravenous injection of lysine acetylsalicylate (500 mg). After the last drug recording the subjects received intravenous naloxone (2 mg) followed 5 minutes later by further reflex testing. Saline was used as a placebo in control experiments. 3. Both analgesics reduced the corneal reflex: piroxicam induced a 27% and lysine acetylsalicylate a 21% a reduction that naloxone did not reverse. Neither drug reduced the early or the late component of the blink reflex. 4. The marked inhibitory changes that the two non-narcotic analgesics produced on the corneal reflex--a nociceptive response--indicate a centrally-mediated action. 5. Naloxone's failure to reverse the induced analgesia argues against opiate receptor mediation.