Discovery of molecules for the treatment of neuropathic pain: synthesis, antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic activities of 5-(4-nitrophenyl)furoic-2-acid hydrazones.

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition that occurs and persists in a heterogeneous group of etiologically different diseases characterized by a primary lesion or dysfunction of the peripheral or central nervous system. Current treatment options do not provide adequate relief for many patients and a significant number of the agents used have dose limiting side effects. During the course of our work on the synthesis and screening of new drugs for the treatment of neuropathic pain, we have identified 5-(4-nitrophenyl)furoic-2-acid hydrazones which showed significant antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic activities in a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain in rat. Synthesized compounds thus represent a promising lead for new drug development for the treatment of neuropathic pain.