Rationale and evidence for the use of oxcarbazepine in neuropathic pain

Oxcarbazepine is a second-generation antiepileptic drug (AED) with proven efficacy, in managing partial epileptic seizures, with or without secondary generalization, in adults and children. The overlap between the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms of some epilepsy models and neuropathic pain models supports the rationale fir using certain AEDs in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Several AEDs have reportedly produced analgesia in a range of neuropathic pains, including painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) and post-herpetic neuralgia. Increasing evidence suggests that oxcarbazepine can provide significant analgesia in several neuropathic pain conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia and PDN, and is also may be effective in treating neuropathic pain refractory to other AEDs, such as carbamazepine and gabapentin. The analgesic effects of oxcarbazepine, and its generally improved safety and tolerability profile compared with other standard AEDs, suggests that oxcarbazepine will be an important addition to the neuropathic pain armamentarium. The rationale and evidence to support the efficacy of oxcarbazepine are presented here.