COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING ANALGESIC POTENCY OF TRAMADOL AND ATTENUATING ITS ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS

摘要

The invention generally relates to compositions and methods with tramadol and an opioid antagonist to enhance analgesic potency and/or attenuate one or more adverse effects of tramadol, including adverse side effect(s) in humans such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, sedation (somnolence) or pruritis. This invention relates to compositions and methods for selectively enhancing the analgesic potency of tramadol and simultaneously attenuating anti-analgesia, hyperalgesia, hyperexcitability, physical dependence and/or tolerance effects associated with the administration of tramadol. The methods of the present invention comprise administering to a subject an analgesic or subanalgesic amount of tramadol and an amount of excitatory opioid receptor antagonist such as naltrexone or nalmefene effective to enhance the analgesic potency of tramadol and attenuate the anti-analgesia, hyperalgesia, hyperexcitability, physical dependence and/or tolerance effects of tramadol.