Compositions and methods for enhancing analgesic potency of tramadol and attenuating its adverse side effects

摘要

This invention relates to a method for selectively enhancing the analgesic potency of a bimodally-acting opioid agonist such as tramadol and simultaneously attenuating anti-analgesia, hyperalgesia, hyperexcitability, physical dependence and/or tolerance effects associated with the administration of the bimodally-acting opioid agonist. The method of the present invention comprises administering to a subject an analgesic or sub-analgesic amount of a bimodally-acting opioid agonist such as tramadol and an amount of an excitatory opioid receptor antagonist such as naltrexone or nalmefene effective to enhance the analgesic potency of the bimodally-acting opioid agonist and attenuate the anti-analgesia, hyperalgesia, hyperexcitability, physical dependence and/or tolerance effects of the bimodally-acting opioid agonist.