Title:Polyphenols as Potential Therapeutics for Pain and Inflammation in Spinal Cord Injury
VOLUME: 14
Author(s):Ashif Iqubal, Musheer Ahmed, Mohammad Kashif Iqubal, Faheem Hyder Pottoo and Syed Ehtaishamul Haque*
Affiliation:Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062, Department of Pharmacology, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal, University, P.O.Box 1982 Dammam, 31441, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062
Keywords:Natural products, CB receptors, cysteine–cysteine chemokine ligand 21, dorsal horn neuron hyperexcitability and
central sensitization.
Abstract:Spinal cord injury (SCI) and associated pain and inflammation caused by the trauma or infection is one of the
serious health care issues world-wide. The various inflammatory, redox-sensitive and apoptotic events are contributing
factor but altered neuronal function, axonal degeneration, activated microglia, endothelial cells, astrocytes,
fibroblasts,pericytes, Schwann cells, meningeal cells are the major player in its pathogenesis. Further, monocytes and
neutrophil infiltration get recruited and facilitate the release of chemokines, cytokines, and other mediators of
inflammation. This event leads to the production of different amino acids, neuropeptides kinin, prostaglandins,
prostacyclin, thromboxane, leukotrienes, bradykinin, histamine, matrix metal proteinases and serotonin that stimulate
nerve endings and manifests the inflammation and pain processes, etc. Arachidonic acid (AA), NF-kB, NLRP3
inflammasome, and nitric oxide pathways along with P2X7 receptor and ion channel transient receptor potential (TRP)
vanilloid are some of the recently explored targets for modulation of pain and inflammation in SCI. Till now, NSAIDs,
opioids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, NMDA antagonists, α2-adrenergic agonists, and GABA-receptor agonists are
used for the management of these pathological conditions. However, these drugs are associated with various side effects.
Additionally, the number of available animal models for SCI has enhanced the understanding of the complex pathological
mechanisms involved in the generation of chronic inflammatory pain in SCI. These findings enable us to identify and
validate several potent natural analgesic-anti-inflammatory drug candidates with minimal side effects. However, until
now, these compounds have been studied in preclinical models and shown promising results but no clinical studies have
been performed. Therefore, a detailed exploration of these natural compounds is important for bringing them from bench
to bedside.
