Drugs
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Neuropathic pain, a form of chronic pain caused by injury to or disease of the peripheral or central nervous system, is a formidable therapeutic challenge to clinicians because it does not respond well to traditional pain therapies. Our knowledge about the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain has grown significantly over last 2 decades. Basic research with animal and human models of neuropathic pain has shown that a number of pathophysiological and biochemical changes take place in the nervous system as a result of an insult. ⋯ There is potential for phenobarbital, clonazepam, valproic acid, topiramate, pregabalin and tiagabine to have antihyperalgesic and antinociceptive activities based on result in animal models of neuropathic pain, but the efficacy of these drugs in the treatment of human neuropathic pain has not yet been fully determined in clinical trials. The role of anticonvulsant drugs in the treatment of neuropathic pain is evolving and has been clearly demonstrated with gabapentin and carbamazepine. Further advances in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain syndromes and well-designed clinical trials should further the opportunities to establish the role of anticonvulsants in the treatment of neuropathic pain.