TY - JOUR
T1 - Analgesic effects of B vitamins
T2 - A review
AU - Reyes-García, Gerardo
AU - Medina-Santillán, Roberto
AU - Flores-Murrieta, Francisco J.
AU - Caram-Salas, Nadia L.
AU - Granados-Soto, Vinicio
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - B vitamins have been used as analgesic drugs to treat pain disorders associated with their deficiency. However, more recently it has been claimed that, at pharmacological doses, B vitamins are useful to relieve different pain states as carpal tunnel, migraine and premenstrual tension. Experiments in animals have shown that vitamins B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine) and B12 (cyanocobalamin) and their combination have antinociceptive activity against chemical- and heat-induced pain. An anti-inflammatory effect has also been reported using the carrageenin-induced edema test. Moreover, the individual administration of thiamine and pyridoxine produce antinociception in acetic acid-induced pain or pain induced by supramaximal electrical stimulation of afferent C fibers. However, the most important effect of B vitamins is related with its use in patients with neuropathic pain. B vitamins have been useful in some painful disorders such as polyneuropathy, neuralgia, radiculopathy, neuritis associated with pain paresthesias, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This use has been supported recently by preclinical studies showing the efficacy of these vitamins in well established models of neuropathic pain in rats. The neurophysiological mechanisms induced by B vitamins are still unknown. However, in the last years it has been postulated that B vitamins-induced antinociception could result from activation of opioid receptors or nitric oxide release.
AB - B vitamins have been used as analgesic drugs to treat pain disorders associated with their deficiency. However, more recently it has been claimed that, at pharmacological doses, B vitamins are useful to relieve different pain states as carpal tunnel, migraine and premenstrual tension. Experiments in animals have shown that vitamins B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine) and B12 (cyanocobalamin) and their combination have antinociceptive activity against chemical- and heat-induced pain. An anti-inflammatory effect has also been reported using the carrageenin-induced edema test. Moreover, the individual administration of thiamine and pyridoxine produce antinociception in acetic acid-induced pain or pain induced by supramaximal electrical stimulation of afferent C fibers. However, the most important effect of B vitamins is related with its use in patients with neuropathic pain. B vitamins have been useful in some painful disorders such as polyneuropathy, neuralgia, radiculopathy, neuritis associated with pain paresthesias, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This use has been supported recently by preclinical studies showing the efficacy of these vitamins in well established models of neuropathic pain in rats. The neurophysiological mechanisms induced by B vitamins are still unknown. However, in the last years it has been postulated that B vitamins-induced antinociception could result from activation of opioid receptors or nitric oxide release.
KW - B vitamins
KW - Cyanocobalamin
KW - Inflammatory pain
KW - Neuropathic pain
KW - Pyridoxine
KW - Thiamine
KW - Vitamins B complex
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36749078594&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Artículo de revisión
SN - 0972-4559
VL - 10
SP - 1
EP - 31
JO - Current Topics in Pharmacology
JF - Current Topics in Pharmacology
IS - 1
ER -