Anti-allodynic efficacy of botulinum neurotoxin A in a model of neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain is typified by injuries to the peripheral and central nervous system and derives from such causes as cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, post-herpetic neuralgia, physical trauma or surgery, and many others. Patients suffering neuropathic pain do not respond to conventional treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and show a reduced sensitivity to opiates often associated with serious side effects. Recently, it has been demonstrated that botulinum neurotoxin serotype-A (BoNT/A) is able to induce analgesia in inflammatory pain conditions. The goal of this research was to test if BoNT/A was able to relieve also neuropathic pain symptoms. By using chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve, a mouse model of neuropathic pain, we observed that peripheral administration of BoNT/A strongly reduced the mechanical allodynia associated with this neuropathy. Remarkably, a single non-toxic dose of BoNT/A was sufficient to induce anti-allodynic effects, which lasted for at least 3 weeks. This result is particularly relevant since neuropathic pain is poorly treated by current drug therapies. This communication enlarges our knowledge on potentially new medical uses of BoNT/A in efforts to ameliorate human health conditions, with very important implications in the development of new pharmacotherapeutic approaches against neuropathic pain.