Opiate Antagonists for Chronic Pain: A Review on the Benefits of Low-Dose Naltrexone in Arthritis versus Non-Arthritic Diseases.

ABSTRACT: Chronic pain conditions create major financial and emotional burdens that can be devastating for individuals and society. One primary source of pain is arthritis, a common inflammatory disease of the joints that causes persistent pain in affected people. The main objective of pharmacological treatments for either rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA) is to reduce pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and opioid antagonists have each been considered in the management of chronic pain in arthritis patients. Naltrexone is an oral-activated opioid antagonist with biphasic dose-dependent pharmacodynamic effects. The molecule acts as a competitive inhibitor of opioid receptors at high doses. However, naltrexone at low doses has been shown to have hormetic effects and pr

SUBMITTER: Dara P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10296090 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature