USES OF PROTOPANAXADIOL COMPOUNDS IN TREATMENT OF PAIN, AND PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE, PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE AND ADDICTION OF ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES

摘要

Uses of protopanaxadiol compounds (particularly 20(S)-protopanaxadiol) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts or esters thereof in preparation of a) drugs for treating and/or alleviating pain; and b) drugs for treating and/or alleviating physical and/or psychological dependence induced by addictive substances, particularly opioid drugs. Experiments indicate that the 20(S)-protopanaxadiol can stimulate expression and release of dynorphin A by activation of glucocorticoid receptors of microglial cells in the spinal marrow or the nucleus accumbens, so as to achieve the effects of treating and/or alleviating the pain and resisting the physical and/or psychological dependence induced by the addictive substances; and the protopanaxadiol compounds can be used in conjunction with other analgesic drugs, particularly gabapentin and opioid drugs to achieve a synergistic analgesic effect.