EXPRESS: Honokiol and analgesia: a mechanistic review on the current capacities and challenges

Pain is an unfavorable subjective sensation influencing 20% of the public population, giving rise to substantial health and economic issues. Several categories of pain, such as acute and chronic pain, have been determined according to factors like pathophysiological mechanism, etiology, and anatomical locations. The current analgesic drugs are the cornerstone of pain management; however, some challenges, such as short-term relief and concerns about addiction, dependence, and side effects, warrant alternative choices for pain alleviation. In the recent decade, the importance of polyphenolic compounds, particularly honokiol, has increased due to their diverse therapeutic and biological features like anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and immune regulatory properties. Also, some documents have accentuated the striking role of honokiol in exerting analgesic effects in conditions such as inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, and gouty arthritis. Ergo, the current literature review aimed to discuss the analgesic potential of honokiol in the mentioned conditions with a mechanistic insight.