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Liu C, Liu DQ, Tian YK, Mei W, Tian XB, Xu AJ, Zhou YQ. The Emerging Role of Quercetin in the Treatment of Chronic Pain. Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:2346-2353. [PMID: 35959909 PMCID: PMC9890298 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220812122437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite much research efforts being devoted to designing alternative pharmacological interventions, chronic pain remains to be an unresolved clinical problem. Quercetin, a compound that belongs to the flavonoids family, is abundantly found in fruits and vegetables. Emerging evidence indicates that quercetin possesses anti-nociceptive effects in different rodent models of chronic pain, including inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain and cancer pain. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms underlying the analgesic effect of quercetin in preclinical studies. These studies showed that quercetin exerts potent analgesic effects against chronic pain via suppressing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress as well as modulation of synaptic plasticity, GABAergic system, and opioidergic system. Considering that the safety of quercetin is well established, it has great potential for clinical use in pain treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Dai-Qiang Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yu-Ke Tian
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Wei Mei
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xue-Bi Tian
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ai-Jun Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ya-Qun Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
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Peripheral Mechanisms of Neuropathic Pain-the Role of Neuronal and Non-Neuronal Interactions and Their Implications for Topical Treatment of Neuropathic Pain. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14020077. [PMID: 33498496 PMCID: PMC7909513 DOI: 10.3390/ph14020077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain in humans arises as a consequence of injury or disease of somatosensory nervous system at peripheral or central level. Peripheral neuropathic pain is more common than central neuropathic pain, and is supposed to result from peripheral mechanisms, following nerve injury. The animal models of neuropathic pain show extensive functional and structural changes occurring in neuronal and non-neuronal cells in response to peripheral nerve injury. These pathological changes following damage lead to peripheral sensitization development, and subsequently to central sensitization initiation with spinal and supraspinal mechanism involved. The aim of this narrative review paper is to discuss the mechanisms engaged in peripheral neuropathic pain generation and maintenance, with special focus on the role of glial, immune, and epithelial cells in peripheral nociception. Based on the preclinical and clinical studies, interactions between neuronal and non-neuronal cells have been described, pointing out at the molecular/cellular underlying mechanisms of neuropathic pain, which might be potentially targeted by topical treatments in clinical practice. The modulation of the complex neuro-immuno-cutaneous interactions in the periphery represents a strategy for the development of new topical analgesics and their utilization in clinical settings.
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