An open and double-blind cross-over study on the efficacy of clomipramine (Anafranil) in patients with painful mono- and polyneuropathies.

Abstract

82 patients with chronic pain resulting from mononeuropathy were treated with psychotropic drugs in an open therapeutic study. In this study we found that treatment with a combination of clomipramine (Anafranil) and small doses of neuroleptics was significantly superior to therapy with neuroleptics alone. In a subsequent double-blind study, it was attempted for the first time to determine the efficacy of clomipramine compared to that of acetylsalicylic acid in 48 patients with painful mono- and polyneuropathies. The test was carried out in a cross-over trial with two sequence groups. We evaluated assessments of pain by both patients and doctors, and were able to prove statistically that clomipramine possesses a significantly greater efficacy compared to that of acetylsalicylic acid. By taking into account recent anatomical, biochemical and pharmacological studies, it can be concluded that clomipramine probably has-in addition to the action on peripheral receptors-a direct effect upon pain modulation systems. It seems possible that clomipramine activates serotonin-containing neurons of the endorphin-mediated analgesia system that control pain transmission in the CNS.

• Authors: H D Langohr, M Stöhr, F Petruch
• Journal: European neurology (Eur Neurol) Vol. 21 Issue 5 Pg. 309-17 ( 1982) ISSN: 0014-3022 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 6126361 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antipsychotic Agents
• Clomipramine
• Aspirin

Topics

• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Aspirin (therapeutic use)
• Causalgia (drug therapy)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Clomipramine (therapeutic use)
• Double-Blind Method
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neuralgia (drug therapy)
• Neuritis (drug therapy)
• Phantom Limb (drug therapy)
• Polyneuropathies (drug therapy)