Cannabinoids for the treatment of neuropathic pain: clinical evidence.

Abstract

Neuropathic pain is a worldwide epidemic that occurs in 3 to 8% of individuals in industrialized countries and is often refractory to existing treatments. Drugs currently available to target neuropathic pain are, at best, moderately effective and include antidepressants, gabapentin, NMDA receptor antagonists, as well as other anticonvulsants, all of which are limited by their adverse-effect profiles. Cannabinoid drugs are emerging as a promising class of drugs to treat neuropathic pain and have been tested for analgesic effects in a range of chronic pain conditions. Data show that cannabinoids are often effective in individuals with refractory pain receiving concomitant analgesic drugs. Clinical studies on cannabinoids for the treatment of neuropathic pain are reviewed, focusing on clinical trials published within the last five years. Data from large, well-controlled studies show that cannabinoids are moderately effective in reducing chronic pain and that side effects are comparable to existing treatments, suggesting that cannabinoids can play a useful role in the management of chronic pain. Like other drugs for neuropathic pain, cannabinoids have a dose titration that is limited by psychoactive side effects. The development of cannabinoid drugs to target neuropathic pain with improved therapeutic ratios will depend upon the development of cannabinoid treatments with reduced psychoactivity.

• Authors: John C Ashton, Erin D Milligan
• Journal: Current opinion in investigational drugs (London, England : 2000) (Curr Opin Investig Drugs) Vol. 9 Issue 1 Pg. 65-75 (Jan 2008) ISSN: 1472-4472 [Print] England
• PMID: 18183533 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Analgesics
• Cannabinoids

Topics

• Analgesics (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Cannabinoids (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Pain (drug therapy)
• Peripheral Nervous System Diseases (drug therapy)