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Novel Agents in Neuropathic Pain, the Role of Capsaicin: Pharmacology, Efficacy, Side Effects, Different Preparations

  • Other Pain (N Vadivelu and AD Kaye, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Capsaicin is a natural substance used to treat neuropathic pain because of its ability to be used in a more direct form on patients and efficiently treat their pain without the amount of side effects seen in the use of oral medications.

Recent Findings

Currently, the treatments for neuropathic pain are, control of the underlying disease process, then focused on symptomatic relief with pharmacotherapy, topical analgesics, or other interventions. When all pharmacological agents fail to relieve the pain, interventional strategies can be considered, such as neural blocks, spinal cord stimulation, and intrathecal administered medications. The response to current treatment of neuropathic pain is only modest relief of symptoms. Multiple treatment options may be attempted, while ultimately leaving patients with refractory neuropathic pain. For these reasons, a better treatment approach to neuropathic pain is greatly needed.

Summary

Overall, capsaicin has great potential for becoming a first- or second-line treatment for neuropathic pain, and for becoming a therapeutic option for many other neuropathic pain-related disease states.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, Room 656, 1542 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    O. Morgan Hall

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Ochsner Medical Center, 1514 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans, LA, 70121, USA

    Alaina Broussard & Tierra Range

  3. Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Houston, 4849 Calhoun Rd., Houston, TX, 77204, USA

    Michelle A. Carroll Turpin

  4. Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA

    Savannah Ellis & Elyse M. Cornett

  5. Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ, 85054, USA

    Victoria M. Lim

  6. Department of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neurosciences, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Shreveport, LA, USA

    Alan David Kaye

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Correspondence to Elyse M. Cornett.

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O. Morgan Hall, Alaina Lofaso, Michelle Carroll Turpin, Savannah Ellis, Victoria Lim, Elyse Cornett, Alan Kaye declare no conflict of interest. Dr. Kaye is a Section Editor for this journal; he has not been involved in the review of this manuscript.

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Hall, O.M., Broussard, A., Range, T. et al. Novel Agents in Neuropathic Pain, the Role of Capsaicin: Pharmacology, Efficacy, Side Effects, Different Preparations. Curr Pain Headache Rep 24, 53 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-020-00886-4

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