Actualización práctica sobre la palmitoiletanolamida (PEAum) oral en el manejo del dolor crónico. Revisión narrativa

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic pain is a cause of great suffering for patients and their relatives and one of the most relevant health issues. Available treatments, generally based on analgesic drugs, mainly NSAIDs, and othres, including opioids, achieve a partial and frequently temporary relief, with a large number of potential adverse effects. Development: New investigation lines of research in this field are looking to develop safe analgesics like ultramicronised palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA), a nutritional oral supplementation administered at a dose of 600mg/12-24 hours, to counteract neuroinflammation, slow down pain chronicity, enhancing the antinociceptive effects of analgesic drugs. Conclusions: PEAum is a nutritional support showing analgesic, anti-inflammatory and nerve regenerative properties, indicated for use in case of chronic pain, specially neuropathic pain. Um-PEA is able to decrease pain preventing, partially, central sensitisation. Um-PEA safety profile and good tolerability represent an additional tool in the management of chronic pain.