An overview of ion channels therapeutics in the treatment of pain

The clinical management of severe and chronic pain relies heavily on opioids that cause serious side-effects. There therefore exists an urgent need to develop safer and effective analgesics. Moreover, there has been significant progress in the understanding of pain physiology, especially the role of some ion channels in the pain process. Thus, the immense potential of ion channel therapeutics in pain management is a subject of current interest. This study is a comprehensive review, focused on ion channels as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of pain. A systemic search of available literature on ion channels analgesics was performed. Articles related to the drug discovery and clinical trials on relevant topics were extracted from PubMed and other databases. Small molecules targeted at ion channels pathways hold great promise for creating a new approach to pain treatment. Several molecules targeting TRPV1, TRPV3, TRPV4, TRPA1, TRPM8, Nav1.7, Nav1.8, CaV2.2, CaV3.2, ASIC, and P2X3 have demonstrated potential clinical benefits. However, till date US FDA has approved capsaicin, ziconotide, and pregabalin for the treatment of different pain conditions. This review highlights the possibilities for discovery and research on ion channels and their potential for pain treatment.