Assessment of efficacy and psychomotor performances of thiocolchicoside and tizanidine in patients with acute low back pain

Abstract

Objectives of this study were to assess efficacy and effects on psychomotor performances of thiocolchicoside (TCC) and tizanidine (TZ) compared to placebo. Patients complaining of acute low back pain (LBP) associated with muscle spasm were enrolled in this randomised, double-blind clinical trial, comparing the effects of oral TCC, TZ and placebo on psychomotor performances assessed by a visual analogue scale of tiredness, drowsiness, dizziness and alertness and by psychometric tests after 2 and 5-7 days of treatment. The efficacy assessments, both TCC and TZ, were more effective than placebo in improving pain at rest, hand-to-floor distance, Schober test and decreased paracetamol consumption. There were significant differences among the treatment groups in favour of TCC compared to TZ in visual analog scale-parameters. TZ-induced reduction of psychomotor performances of the patients was confirmed by psychometric tests, which showed significant differences among groups. This study showed that TCC is at least as effective as TZ in the treatment of acute LBP, while it appears devoid of any sedative effect in contrast to TZ.

New insights on contraction efficiency in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

“…22). Two patients were receiving muscle relaxants (thiocolchicoside), which are known to increase muscle flexibility (16,31). Six patients were receiving cardiovascular drugs (angiotensin-converting enzyme).…”

Evaluation of efficacy and tolerability of eperisone and thiocolchicoside in treatment of low back pain associated with muscle spasm: An open label, prospective, randomized controlled trial

“…11,21 Thiocolchicoside and Eperisone are muscle relaxants which mediate muscle relaxation without concomitant sedation and withdrawal phenomenon. In the study carried out by Cabitza et al 11 8 found that there was lack of significant effect on attention and cognitive function as well as on other normal daily life activities by using Eperisone and Thiocolchicoside respectively.…”

“…7 Development of sedation seems to be the limiting factor in the use of muscle relaxants for treatment, as they can affect daily activity and decrease working capability. 8,9 When voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) are blocked, it results in inhibition of neural activity and pain sensation. So VGSC remain viable targets for the development of novel analgesics.…”

“…It acts via GABA-mediated mechanism to relax muscle spasm and relieve pain. 8 Hence this study was conducted to compare and evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of two non-sedative muscle relaxants, Eperisone and Thiocolchicoside in combination with Paracetamol, in patients suffering from painful muscle spasms associated with low back pain. Patients of either gender between 18 to 55 years of age with acute musculoskeletal spasm associated with low back pain, as diagnosed by the orthopaedic surgeon, were included in the trial.…”

Untitled

“…Although these groups of drugs usually help to reduce spasticity, but decrease in muscle tone elsewhere, may lead to a decrease in the mobility of the patient. Also the development of sedation, is found to be a major limiting factor in the use of muscle relaxants for the treatment of Acute Low Back Pain (LBP), as they can affect daily activities and decrease working capabilities 12,13 . Hence, these limiting factors in the use of muscle relaxants raised a need for an ideal muscle relaxant devoid of effects on psychomotor performance, free of sedation and higher tolerability.…”