Minocycline |
Tetracycline antibiotic. Immunosuppression in part mediated through p38 inhibition. |
Inhibits microglial activation. Reduces tactile allodynia most effectively when treatment begins prior to nerve injury |
Mika 2008 |
Phosphodiesterase inhibitors (Propentofylline, AV-411, Pentoxifylline) |
Nonselective phosphodiesterase inhibitors |
Reduce mechanical allodynia by suppressing microglial and astrocyte activity. Often associated with a decrease in proinflammatory cytokines |
Mika 2008 |
Methotrexate |
Reduces folate, blocks de novo purine and thymidylate synthesis |
Inhibits microglial activation and proliferation. Most effective when given early after nerve injury |
Scholz et al. 2008 |
Nucleotide receptor antagonists |
Activation of P2X and P2Y receptors modulates the activity of peripheral immune cells and microglia |
Block the activation of peripheral macrophages and spinal microglia |
Inoue et al. 2007 |
p38 MAP kinase inhibitors |
Inhibit important signaling pathways in microglial cells |
Reduce tactile allodynia. Most effective when treatment begins prior to nerve injury |
Ji & Suter 2007 |
Modulators of cytokine synthesis and activity |
Neutralizing antibodies and receptor-trapping strategies directed against IL1, IL6, IL10, TNF, and others |
Reduce the biological effects of proinflammatory cytokines. IL10 has antiinflammatory activity |
Mika 2008,Watkins et al. 2007
|
Complement inhibitors |
Block activation of complement factors expressed by microglia |
Inhibition of complement pathways including the activation of C5, which acts as an immune cell chemoattractant in the spinal cord dorsal horn |
Mika 2008 |
Cannabinoids |
Activates the CB2 receptor, which is expressed predominantly on microglia |
CB2 regulates immune cell proliferation and migration. CB2 agonists reduce mechanical allodynia |
Romero-Sandoval et al. 2008 |