Treating skeletal pain: limitations of conventional anti-inflammatory drugs, and anti-neurotrophic factor as a possible alternative.
Inflammatory and injury-induced skeletal pain are common conditions, and both conventional nonselective NSAIDs and the newer cyclo-oxygenase-2-specific inhibitors are widely used as post-traumatic and post-surgical analgesics. However, new research suggests that these drugs, particularly the cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors, have a negative effect on the healing process in fractured bone and within orthopedic surgical sites, thus highlighting a need to develop new approaches for managing skeletal pain. Various experimental studies have revealed that locally upregulated neurotrophic factors, especially nerve growth factor, have a major role in mediating injury-induced or inflammatory pain. Nerve growth factor inhibitors, therefore, might be an effective alternative modality for post-traumatic and post-surgical analgesia, without impairing bone healing.
Xian
Cory J
CJ
Sansom Institute of Health Research, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia. cory.xian@unisa.edu.au
Zhou
Xin-Fu
XF
D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors