Introducing a novel agent in the treatment of pain and inflammation.
Current analgesics are mainly based on molecules that reduce pain perception, transduction, and transmission, and modulation in neurons and/or reduce peripheral inflammation. The nature of these pharmacological targets is likely to be the principal cause of their limited success in controlling disease progression. Mounting evidence points to neuroinflammation mediated by immune cell activation, in particular mast cells and microglia, and the production of inflammatory mediators, as having a crucial role in the pathogenesis of chronic pain.
Palmitoyethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous fatty acid amide which has been demonstrated in clinical trials to relieve pains from peripheral neuropathies such as diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatic pain, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, failed back surgery syndrome, dental pains, neuropathic pain in stroke and multiple sclerosis, chronic pelvic pain, postherpetic neuralgia, and vaginal pains.
Numerous preclinical studies demonstrate the ability of PEA to reduce inflammation and pain induced by various acute stimuli. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of PEA have been confirmed in models of chronic inflammation and chronic or neuropathic pain. In these models, chronic treatment with PEA not only reduced pain but also preserved peripheral nerve morphology, reduced endoneural edema, the recruitment and activation of mast cells, and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators at the injury site. Taken together, these experimental data indicate that PEA, via regulation of persistent inflammatory processes, can directly intervene in nervous tissue alterations responsible for pain.
PEA, a pro-resolving lipid signaling molecule which controls the activity of mast cells and glia, when added to ongoing standard therapies for chronic pain in patients with unsatisfactory management of pain, progressively reduces the score of pain intensity. The differences in pain reduction between the PEA-treated group and controls is statistically significant already at the first observation time (7 – 10 days of treatment). It is reinforced at later observation times, with maximal difference achieved after 60 days of treatment.
References
Palmitoyethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous fatty acid amide which has been demonstrated in clinical trials to relieve pains from peripheral neuropathies such as diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatic pain, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, failed back surgery syndrome, dental pains, neuropathic pain in stroke and multiple sclerosis, chronic pelvic pain, postherpetic neuralgia, and vaginal pains.
Numerous preclinical studies demonstrate the ability of PEA to reduce inflammation and pain induced by various acute stimuli. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of PEA have been confirmed in models of chronic inflammation and chronic or neuropathic pain. In these models, chronic treatment with PEA not only reduced pain but also preserved peripheral nerve morphology, reduced endoneural edema, the recruitment and activation of mast cells, and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators at the injury site. Taken together, these experimental data indicate that PEA, via regulation of persistent inflammatory processes, can directly intervene in nervous tissue alterations responsible for pain.
PEA, a pro-resolving lipid signaling molecule which controls the activity of mast cells and glia, when added to ongoing standard therapies for chronic pain in patients with unsatisfactory management of pain, progressively reduces the score of pain intensity. The differences in pain reduction between the PEA-treated group and controls is statistically significant already at the first observation time (7 – 10 days of treatment). It is reinforced at later observation times, with maximal difference achieved after 60 days of treatment.
References
- 'Palmitoylethanolamide, a Special Food for Medical Purposes, in the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Pooled Data Meta-analysis', Pain Physician 2016; 19:11-24, ISSN 1533-3159.
- 'Therapeutic utility of palmitoylethanolamide in the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with various pathological conditions: a case series', Journal of Pain Research 2012; pg 437–442.
- 'Palmitoylethanolamide for the treatment of pain: pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy', BJCP 2016; pg 932–942.
