Evidence mapPaperPMID 41359055Full record

ReviewNaunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology2026

Targeting NMDA receptors in pain management: therapeutic innovations through piracetam repurposing.

Nidhi Dhama, Aadesh Kumar, Lakhan Singh, Sokindra Kumar, Shah Alam Khan, Neeraj Kumar Fuloria, Atul Partap Singh

Abstract readReview
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In one paragraph

Review in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Nidhi DhamaFaculty of Pharmacy, Swami Vivekanand, Subharti University , Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 250005 , India.
Aadesh KumarFaculty of Pharmacy, Swami Vivekanand, Subharti University , Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 250005 , India. adesh.adi.chaudhary@gmail.com.
Lakhan SinghFaculty of Pharmacy, Swami Vivekanand, Subharti University , Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 250005 , India.
Sokindra KumarFaculty of Pharmacy, Swami Vivekanand, Subharti University , Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 250005 , India.
Shah Alam KhanDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, National University of Science and Technology, Postal Code 130, P.O. Box 620, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Neeraj Kumar FuloriaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Semeling Campus, Jalan Bedong-Semeling Bedong, Kedah Darul Aman, 08100, Malaysia.
Atul Partap SinghDepartment of Pharmacy, IIMT University, Uttar Pradesh, Meerut, 250001, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor plays a pivotal role in pain modulation, making it a key target for therapeutic interventions in chronic pain management. Traditionally known for its cognitive-enhancing effects, piracetam (2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide) has shown promise in influencing glutamatergic transmission and reducing central sensitization, both crucial in pain signaling pathways. This review explores the potential of piracetam and its derivatives as novel modulators of NMDA receptor activity. This narrative review with a structured search strategy utilized various databases including ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, covering articles on NMDA receptor modulation and role of piracetam in pain management. Inclusion criteria focused on studies addressing NMDA receptor roles in pain management, the impact of piracetam on central sensitization, and safety profiles compared to alternative NMDA receptor-targeted drugs. Studies without original data, including case reports and editorial/opinion articles, were excluded. Key findings highlight the modulation of NMDA receptors in pain management by piracetam and its role in central sensitization. Comparative analyses reveal its safety profile and efficacy against competitive NMDA receptor-targeted medications, offering insights into advanced therapeutic strategies. This review shed light on the analgesic potential of piracetam and its derivatives, the role of NMDA receptors in pain mechanisms, and the development of novel, safer NMDA-targeting drugs that can overcome the limitations of existing therapies. It does, however, recognize receptor diversity and desensitization and warrants further detailed investigations for managing chronic pain.

Indexed as

AnalgesicsDrug RepositioningPiracetamReceptors, N-Methyl-D-AspartateAnimalsHumansPain ManagementAnalgesicsPiracetamReceptors, N-Methyl-D-AspartateChronic painNMDA receptorsPain managementPiracetamSynaptic plasticity

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.