Exploring Cholinergic Compounds for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Management: A Comprehensive Scoping Review of Rodent Model Studies

Neuropathic pain affects about 7–8% of the population, and its management still poses challenges with unmet needs. Over past decades, researchers have explored cholinergic system (muscarinic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: mAChR nAChR) compounds targeting these receptors as potential analgesics for neuropathic management. This scoping review aims to provide an overview studies on peripheral (PNP) in rodent models, exploring neurotransmission. The inclusion criteria were original articles PNP models that use directly neurotransmission reported results nociceptive behavioral assays. literature search was performed PubMed Web Science databases (1 January 2000–22 April 2023). selection process yielded 82 publications, encompassing 62 compounds. most studied agonists α4β2 nAChR α7 nAChR, antagonists α9/α10 along those increasing mAChRs. Studies mainly antinociceptive effects traumatic a lesser extent, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy or diabetic models. These preclinical underscore considerable PNP, warranting initiation clinical trials.