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Cannabinoids for Neuropathic Pain

  • Neuropathic Pain (E Eisenberg, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Treatment options for neuropathic pain have limited efficacy and use is fraught with dose-limiting adverse effects. The endocannabinoid system has been elucidated over the last several years, demonstrating a significant interface with pain homeostasis. Exogenous cannabinoids have been demonstrated to be effective in a range of experimental neuropathic pain models, and there is mounting evidence for therapeutic use in human neuropathic pain conditions. This article reviews the history, pharmacologic development, clinical trials results, and the future potential of nonsmoked, orally bioavailable, nonpsychoactive cannabinoids in the management of neuropathic pain.

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Conflict of Interest

Perry G. Fine and Mark J. Rosenfeld serve on the Board of Directors of ISA Scientific, Inc., a medicinal cannabinoid research and development company.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Pain Research and Management Centers, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah, Suite 200, 615 Arapeen Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA

    Perry G. Fine

  2. ISA Scientific, Inc., Draper, UT, 84020, USA

    Mark J. Rosenfeld

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  1. Perry G. Fine
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Correspondence to Perry G. Fine.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Neuropathic Pain

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Fine, P.G., Rosenfeld, M.J. Cannabinoids for Neuropathic Pain. Curr Pain Headache Rep 18, 451 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-014-0451-2

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