Future Directions in the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain: A Review on Various Therapeutic Targets
Matharasala Gangadhar, Ram Kumar Mishra, Dharmarajan Sriram and Perumal Yogeeswari
Pages 63-81 (19)
Neuropathic pain is caused by structural lesion leading to functional abnormalities in central and peripheral
nervous system. Neuropathic pain in itself is not always a disease, as it arises due to consequences of other diseases like
diabetes, spinal cord injury, degenerative neuronal diseases and cancer. Current strategies of neuropathic pain treatment
have provided relief to the patients to some extent, but complete cure is still a distant dream. In the future, it is hoped that
a combination of new and improved pharmaceutical developments combined with careful clinical trials and increased
understanding of neuroplasticity will lead to improved and effective pain management strategies leading to improved
quality of life. In this review we have discussed various therapeutic targets of neuropathic pain and their
pathophysiological mechanisms. Current status of drugs used for treatment of neuropathic pain have also been discussed
in the review.
Antidepressants, ion channels, microglia, neuropathic pain, neurotrophins, protein kinase M zeta, rho kinase.
Birla Institute of Technology & Science-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. R.R. District-500078, Andhra Pradesh, India.