Central effects of non-opioid analgesics - Review of actions and their clinical implications

Many data indicate that some non-opioid analgesics exert their analgesic activity both at the peripheral and central level. The central effect has been observed in behavioural, electrophysiological and biochemical studies in animals. In humans, evidence has been reported both in healthy individuals and in postoperative pain states. In the CNS, some of these drugs interfere with prostaglandin synthesis or with serotonergic, opioidergic and nitric oxide systems. Thus, drugs acting both at peripheral and central levels may produce a more complete control of some types of pain, such as pain generated by surgery or arthritic pain.