Chronic and
neuropathic pain constitute significant health problems affecting millions of individuals each year.
Pain sensations typically originate in sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system which relay information to the central nervous system (CNS). Pathological
pain sensations can arise as result of changes in excitability of these peripheral sensory neurons.
Voltage-gated sodium channels are key determinants regulating action potential generation and propagation; thus, changes in
sodium channel function can have profound effects on neuronal excitability and
pain signaling. At present, most of the clinically available
sodium channel blockers used to treat
pain are non-selective across
sodium channel isoforms and can contribute to cardio-toxicity, motor impairments, and CNS side effects. Numerous strides have been made over the last decade in an effort to develop more selective and efficacious
sodium channel blockers to treat
pain. The purpose of this review is to highlight some of the more recent developments put forth by research universities and
pharmaceutical companies alike in the pursuit of developing more targeted
sodium channel therapies for the treatment of a variety of
neuropathic pain conditions.