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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
Published on: July 16, 2014
Sodium channel blockers for the treatment of neuropathic pain
Anindya Bhattacharya1, Alan D Wickenden, Sandra R Chaplan
1Pain & Related Disorders Team, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, LLC, San Diego, California 92121, USA.
Abstract:
Drugs that block voltage-gated sodium channels are efficacious in the management of neuropathic pain. Accordingly, this class of ion channels has been a major focus of analgesic research both in academia and in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry. In this article, we review the history of the use of sodium channel blockers, describe the current status of sodium channel drug discovery, highlight the challenges and hurdles to attain sodium channel subtype selectivity, and review the potential usefulness of selective sodium channel blockers in neuropathic pain.
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