Nonsurgical lumbar radiculopathies treated with ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (umPEA): A series of 100 cases

Abstract

In this clinical/observational study we have reported the administration of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) in patients suffering from radicular lumbar spinal pathology, who had no indication for surgical treatment. We analyzed a series of 100 cases retrospectively, all undergoing clinical and diagnostic investigations, which had shown the presence of abnormalities of the vertebral body and intervertebral discs, mainly degenerative, such as spondyloarthrosis, spondylo-discarthrosis, disc protrusion, excluding disc herniation, which fell within surgical cases. We then administered ultramicronized PEA (umPEA) to these patients, in combination with paracetamol and codeine, obtaining interesting results regarding the improvement of pain symptoms of the spine pathology, in the various checks carried out, through the administration of pain assessment scales. We also noted its safety due to the total absence of adverse effects. The obtained results encourage the use of PEA in degenerative spine pathologies.

Oral Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide: Plasma and Tissue Levels and Spinal Anti-hyperalgesic Effect

“…This view is supported by studies showing that PEA levels change in settings of tissue injury, especially in situations associated with inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes (Franklin et al, 2003 ; Petrosino et al, 2007 , 2010 ; Bisogno et al, 2008 ; Loría et al, 2008 ; Garcia-Ovejero et al, 2009 ; Iannotti et al, 2016 ; Petrosino and Di Marzo, 2017 ). This hypothesis is supported by a large body of evidence showing that the systemic administration of PEA elicits anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and neuroprotective effects, both in vivo and in vitro (Mazzari et al, 1996 ; Costa et al, 2008 ; Genovese et al, 2008 ; Esposito et al, 2011 ; D'Agostino et al, 2012 ; Esposito and Cuzzocrea, 2013 ; Abramo et al, 2017 ; Skaper, 2017 ; Scuderi et al, 2018 ), as well as in man (Truini et al, 2011 ; Gatti et al, 2012 ; Marini et al, 2012 ; Paladini et al, 2016 ; Artukoglu et al, 2017 ; Passavanti et al, 2017 ; Chirchiglia et al, 2018 ) and companion animals (Scarampella et al, 2001 ; Noli et al, 2015 ).…”

Microglia and mast cells: new targets for the treatment of chronic pain

“…1) [54]. This molecule was first described in 1990s by the research group of Rita Levi-Montalcini, the Nobel Prize winner [55]. The PEA was found to affect the mast and glial cells, reducing their activity [56][57][58].…”

“…Another clinical observation by Domenico Chirchiglia et al studied the PEA prescription effect for the patients suffering from the chronic pain associated with a radical pathology of lumbar spine though having no indications for surgery [55]. There was a retrospective analysis of a series of 100 clinical cases, each of them undergoing clinical-diagnostic studies revealing a presence of vertebral and intervertebral disc pathologies, namely of degenerative character (spondyloarthritis, spondylodiscarthrosis, disc protrusion) excluding the herniated discs, which required surgery.…”

Clinical applications of palmitoylethanolamide in pain management: protocol for a scoping review

“…For example, it can have a beneficial effect like adjuvant for the treatment of the low back pain [12] or it was used alone for chronic pain management in critically ill older patients, where the use of traditional analgesics can lead to high risk of adverse effect [13]. Encouraging results have been shown in the treatment of non-surgical radiculopathies with an ultra-micronized formulation of PEA [14] and the combination therapy with alpha-lipoic acid to reduce chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome [15].…”