An analgesic adjuvant is a medication that is typically used for indications other than pain control but provides control of pain in some painful diseases. For instance, caffeine has minimal analgesic effect on its own, but may have an adjuvant effect when given with paracetamol (acetaminophen). Examples include:
- carisoprodol
- cyclobenzaprine
- hyoscine (scopolamine)
The exact mechanism of the anticonvulsants carbamazepine, gabapentin, and pregabalin is unclear, but they are used to treat neuropathic pain with differing degrees of success.
Antiemetics and medication to relieve constipation are two examples of non-adjuvant medication indications because these are used to treat side effects and adverse effects.
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Look up adjuvant in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- WHO Guidelines on the Pharmacological Treatment of Persisting Pain in Children with Medical Illnesses, (2012), World Health Organization