Chronic Pain and Oxidative Stress
A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1236
Special Issue Editor
Interests: analgesia; anxiety; depression; cannabinoids; carbon monoxide; heme oxygenase 1; hydrogen sulfide; molecular hydrogen; nitric oxide; Nrf2 transcription factor; oxidative stress; pain; opioids
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Chronic pain affects a high percentage of the population, making it a serious global health problem. Current therapies are ineffective and have significant side effects, negatively affecting the patients' quality of life. Research into new treatments capable of effectively relieving chronic pain with few adverse effects constitutes a major challenge.
Oxidative stress and inflammation are two of the main mechanisms involved in the development of chronic pain, both of which can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, oxidative stress can activate redox-sensitive inflammatory mediators, causing uncontrolled inflammatory reactions that heighten pain sensitivity. Further studies are needed to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in this process to identify new compounds as potential therapeutic targets for chronic pain.
The antioxidant system activated by the Nrf2 transcription factor serves as an endogenous defense mechanism against oxidative stress by reducing ROS levels, inflammatory responses, and mitochondrial impairment. The analgesic properties of several Nrf2-inducing compounds, such as sulforaphane and oltipraz, have been identified in various preclinical models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. However, there is a wide range of antioxidant compounds whose analgesic properties and mechanisms of action have yet to be identified. This Special Issue titled "Chronic Pain and Oxidative Stress" aims to compile original research articles that evaluate the analgesic properties of novel compounds and their effects on oxidative stress, proinflammatory signals, and plasticity changes caused by inflammation, nerve injury, chemotherapeutic agents, and/or metabolic disorders. We believe this Special Issue will advance research into new, effective, and safe strategies for treating chronic pain that can be used in clinical practice.
As the Guest Editor, I invite you to contribute to this Special Issue.
I look forward to your contributions.
Dr. Olga Pol
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- analgesia
- antioxidants
- chemotherapy
- heme oxygenase 1
- neuropathy
- nociception
- Nrf2 transcription factor
- oxidative stress
- pain
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