Analgesic effect of dextromethorphan for postherpetic neuralgia
Suzuki, T.; Kato, J.; Saeki, S.; Ogawa, S.; Suzuki, H.
Masui. Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology 45(5): 629-633
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4892 PMID: 8847791 Document Number: 465325
We investigated the analgesic effect of dextromethorphan (DM), a non-selective NMDA receptor antagonist, in 25 patients with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). We administered DM 45 mg cntdot day-1 orally for 14 days and then 90 mg cntdot day-1 for next 14 days. Decrease in pain intensity and alleviation of allodynia were observed in 9 patients (36%). Side effects with no severe cases occurred in 8 patients (32%) and these were mainly digestive symptoms. We concluded that DM might be useful to treat PHN with allodynia probably due to central sensitization.