Methylene Blue Intravenously and Chronic Neuropathic Pain
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2014-11-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Aim of Investigation Methylene blue (MB) is a diaminophenothiazine with antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory properties and with inhibitory effects on nitric oxide. The aim of this
study was to determine the clinical effectiveness of MB in the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Methods Ten patients with neuropathic pain were randomized to receive one of the two
treatments: methylene blue (MB1) 2 mg/kg (10 mg/mL Methyltioninklorid, Apoteket, Umeå,
Sweden) or methylene blue (MB2) 0.02 mg/kg. Both MB solutions were infused intravenously over
60 minutes. The sensory function and the pain were evaluated at baseline and at 60 min after
the start of infusions. A pain journal was kept by the patients in the following 5 days.
Plasma and urinary concentrations of 8-isoprostane-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) an
indicator of oxidative injury, were measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA). A panel of 92
proteins biomarkers were determined with Proximity Extension Assay (PEA) prior and after
infusions.
comparison with the control group. MB infusion produced an enhancement of prolactin.