Modulatory Action of Voltage Gated Ion Channels in Inflammation and Inflammatory Pain

Abstract

Pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described by the patient in terms of such damage”. The origin of every pain syndrome is inflammation. A group of voltage-gated channels that are permeable to calcium ions enhances sensory transduction witnessed during inflammation. Hence, understanding calcium signaling is an essential step towards recognizing neural network activity associated with pain management. In this review, we attempted to understand the impact of calcium-permeable ion channels in the recognition, processing, transduction and modulation of pain signals. Results obtained revealed that calcium being one of the most ubiquitous secondary messengers play a significant role in modulating numerous biological processes, including inflammation and pain. Though almost all subtypes of calcium channels are highly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), the “N-type calcium ion-channels” play an important function at the time of neurotransmitter release from the afferent terminals within the spinal dorsal. Hence, they serve as a key therapeutic target during the treatment of analgesics. Migraine is also reported to involve neurogenic inflammation. “P/Q-type calcium channels” is suggested to have important role in migraine. The inhibition of these channels through various analgesics serves as a treatment against inflammatory and neuropathic pain. However, few of these inhibitors have numerous side effects, including cancer. Hence, these inhibitors may be consumed under the supervision of medical practitioners. In this review, we revealed the understanding and regulation of ion channels in inflammation causing pain and its treatment.