Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers for the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Title: Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers for the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Volume: 9 Issue: 4

Author(s): Mark A. Matulenko, Marc J. C. Scanio and Michael E. Kort

Affiliation:

Keywords: Sodium channel, voltage-gated, blocker, selective, pain

Abstract: The voltage-gated sodium channels are a family of proteins that control the flow of sodium ions across cell membranes. Considerable data support the hypothesis that hyperexcitability and spontaneous action potential firing in peripheral sensory neurons mediated by voltage-gated sodium channels contribute to the pathophysiology of chronic pain. Sodium channel blockers are, therefore, appealing entities for therapeutic intervention in painful human neuropathies. This review will focus on the latest advances in the development of small molecule sodium channel blockers and their application to the treatment of chronic pain.

Cite this article as:

Matulenko A. Mark, Scanio J. C. Marc and Kort E. Michael, Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers for the Treatment of Chronic Pain, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2009; 9(4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156802609788317883