Abstract
Purpose: To review the clinical benefits of dextromethorphan (DM) in pain management, describe its neuropharmacological properties.
Source: A Medline search was made for experimental and clinical data on DM use from 1967 to date using keywordsnociception, acute and chronic pain control, N-methyl-D-aspartate, antagonists, dextromethorphan.
Principle findings: The 930 DM citations mostly described its antitussive, metabolic and toxicological aspects, animal studies and its possible role in minimizing post-brain ischemia complications in humans. The use of DM inacute pain revealed eight original studies involving 443 patients, as well as two preliminary reports and our own unpublished data on 513 patients. Most of the 956 patients had general anesthesia. Eight studies (154 patients) and one case report dealt withchronic pain management. This N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist binds to receptor sites in the spinal cord and central nervous system, thereby blocking the generation of central acute and chronic pain sensations arising from peripheral nociceptive stimuli and enabling reduction in the amount of analgesics required for pain control. DM attenuated the sensation ofacute pain at doses of 30–90 mg, without major side effects, and reduced the amount of analgesics in 73% of the postoperative DM-treated patients. Studies in secondary pain models in healthy volunteers and in various types ofchronic pain showed DM to be associated with unsatisfactory pain relief.
Conclusion: DM attenuatesacute pain sensation with tolerable side effects. Its availability in oral form bestow advantages over other NMDA antagonists.
Résumé
Objectif: Passer en revue les bénéfices cliniques du dextrométhorphane (DM) et décrire ses propriétés neuropharmacologiques.
Source: Une recherche dans Medline a fourni des données expérimentales et cliniques sur le DM, utilisé de 1967 à aujourd’hui, à l’aide des mots-clésnociception, soulagement de la douleur aiguë et chronique, N-méthyl-D-aspartate, antagonistes, dextrométhorphane.
Constations principales: Les 930 références trouvées décrivent surtout les aspects antitussifs, métaboliques et toxicologiques du DM, les études sur des animaux et le rôle possible dans la réduction des complications de l’ischémie cérébrale chez l’humain. Huit études originales auprès de 443 patients, deux rapports préliminaires et nos propres données non publiées sur 513 patients concernent le soulagement de la douleuraiguë. La majorité des 956 patients ont eu une anesthésie générale. Huit études (154 patients) et une observation portent sur le traitement de la douleurchronique. Cet antagoniste des récepteurs N-méthyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) se fixe sur les sites récepteurs dans la moelle épinière et le système nerveux central. Il empêche ainsi la propagation centrale des sensations de douleurs aiguës et chroniques provenant de stimuli nociceptifs périphériques, et contribue à la réduction de la quantité d’analgésiques nécessaires au traitement. Des doses de 30–90 mg de DM atténuent la sensation de douleuraiguë, sans produire d’effets secondaires importants, et permettent de réduire la quantité d’analgésiques chez 73 % des patients traités avec du DM après une intervention chirurgicale. Les études de modèles de douleurs secondaires chez des volontaires sains et de différents types de douleurschroniques, ont révélé que le DM n’apporte pas de soulagement de la douleur satisfaisant.
Conclusion: Le DM atténue la sensation de douleuraiguë et présente des effets secondaires acceptables. Son conditionnement sous forme orale lui confère des avantages sur d’autres antagonistes de NMDA.
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This review was facilitated by aid from the “Anonymous Italian Family Foundation”, Milan, Italy.
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Weinbroum, A.A., Rudick, V., Paret, G. et al. The role of dextromethorphan in pain control. Can J Anesth 47, 585–596 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03018952
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03018952