Lidocaine Raised Endorphins in Diabetic Neuropathy Patients But Pain Relief Was Unrelated
Lidocaine infusion increased beta-endorphin equally in diabetic neuropathy patients and controls, but pain relief in patients did not correlate with endorphin changes.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Lidocaine increased plasma beta-endorphin equally in patients and controls, but pain relief in diabetic neuropathy was not correlated with beta-endorphin changes.
Key Numbers
How They Did This
Blood opioid peptides were measured by radioimmunoassay before and after lidocaine infusion in 8 diabetic neuropathy patients and 10 controls. Pain was scored before and after treatment.
Why This Research Matters
This suggests lidocaine relieves diabetic nerve pain through a mechanism other than the opioid system. The beta-endorphin rise appears to be a general response to lidocaine, not specific to pain relief.
The Bigger Picture
Lidocaine pain relief in neuropathy appears to work through direct nerve effects, not the opioid system. This is important for understanding and optimizing neuropathic pain treatments.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small study with only 8 patients. Only blood peptide levels were measured, which may not reflect what happens in the nervous system. No placebo control.
Questions This Raises
- ?Could combining lidocaine with opioid peptide therapy improve outcomes?
- ?Why does lidocaine increase endorphins if the mechanism is non-opioid?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Pain relief independent of endorphins Lidocaine neuropathy relief through nerve-blocking, not opioid mechanisms
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary cross-sectional study — small but with direct plasma peptide measurements.
- Study Age:
- Published in 1989 — clarified lidocaine mechanism in neuropathic pain.
- Original Title:
- Lidocaine treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and endogenous opioid peptides in plasma.
- Published In:
- The Clinical journal of pain, 5(3), 239-44 (1989)
- Authors:
- Kastrup, J(2), Bach, F W(3), Petersen, P, Dejgård, A, Ekman, R, Jensen, S, Angelo, H
- Database ID:
- RPEP-00119
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How does lidocaine relieve nerve pain?
Lidocaine blocks sodium channels in damaged nerves, silencing the abnormal electrical signals that cause neuropathic pain. It works directly on the nerves, not through the opioid system.
Why did endorphins increase if they did not cause the pain relief?
Lidocaine may trigger endorphin release through secondary mechanisms unrelated to its pain-relieving action. The endorphin increase appears to be a separate, coincidental effect.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-00119APA
Kastrup, J; Bach, F W; Petersen, P; Dejgård, A; Ekman, R; Jensen, S; Angelo, H. (1989). Lidocaine treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and endogenous opioid peptides in plasma.. The Clinical journal of pain, 5(3), 239-44.
MLA
Kastrup, J, et al. "Lidocaine treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and endogenous opioid peptides in plasma.." The Clinical journal of pain, 1989.
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "Lidocaine treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and endog..." RPEP-00119. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/kastrup-1989-lidocaine-treatment-of-painful
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.