Letter to the Editor
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Orthop. Jun 18, 2024; 15(6): 602-604
Published online Jun 18, 2024. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v15.i6.602
Carbamazepine in osteoarthritis treatment: A novel approach targeting Nav1.7 channels
Rayyan Vaid, Afra Sohail, Nabiha Amir
Rayyan Vaid, Afra Sohail, Nabiha Amir, Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi 75500, Pakistan
Author contributions: Vaid R contributed to project administration, supervision, reviewing; Vaid R, Sohail A, and Amir N writing and editing.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: Https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Rayyan Vaid, MBBS, Academic Fellow, Academic Research, Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Lane 10, Karachi 75500, Pakistan. rayyanvaid222@gmail.com
Received: March 14, 2024
Revised: May 2, 2024
Accepted: May 22, 2024
Published online: June 18, 2024
Processing time: 90 Days and 14.4 Hours
Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) presents a growing health concern, with substantial societal and healthcare burdens. Current management focuses on symptom relief, lacking disease-modifying options. Emerging research suggests the sodium channel Nav1.7 as a pivotal target in OA treatment. Preclinical studies demonstrate carbamazepine's efficacy in Nav1.7 blockade, offering significant joint protection in animal models. However, human trials are needed to validate these findings. Carbamazepine's repurposing holds promise for OA management, potentially revolutionizing treatment paradigms. Further research is essential to bridge the gap between preclinical evidence and clinical application, offering hope for improved OA management and enhanced patient quality of life.

Keywords: Osteoarthritis; Joint illness; Treatment approaches; Pain management; Healthcare expenses

Core Tip: Carbamazepine, a non-specific voltage-gated sodium channel blocker primarily used for epilepsy, has shown promising results in preclinical studies for treating osteoarthritis (OA). By targeting Nav1.7 channels, it not only reduces pain but also protects against joint degradation by modulating chondrocyte biology. However, further research is needed to confirm its efficacy in humans, potentially paving the way for innovative OA treatments beyond traditional analgesics.