Tail flick test

When the animal flicks its tail, the timer stops and the recorded time (latency) is a measure of the pain threshold.

Under these weakened responses to pain, with effectiveness often peaking about 30 minutes after ingestion, researchers test the effectiveness of the drugs by exposing the tail to constant heat and measuring how long it takes to flick, signaling its response to the pain.

[6][7] Naloxone and naltrexone, two opioid antagonists, have been used to study pain sensitivity in relation to exercise in mice.

[9] Through use of the tail flick test, researchers have found that genetics play a role in pain sensation and the effectiveness of analgesics.

Limitations of this test include: the need for more research with murine subjects, and determining the validity of applying observed pain responses from animals to humans.