Cell‐based therapies and natural compounds for pain

Abstract

Cell-based therapies and natural compounds are increasingly being acknowledged for their potential roles in managing a variety of conditions, including pain. Stem cells have gained attention over the years for their contribution to our understanding of normal and abnormal physiology, their capacity to assist in efficient drug design and screening and their role in regenerative medicine. This chapter will review our current understanding of the complex pathophysiology of pain using adult, embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells as models. In addition, this chapter outlines several natural compounds that are used in the treatment of neuropathic pain, with a focus on evidence-based information of the polyphenols, polyamines and endocannabinoids derived from plants and food sources. Advantages of these compounds are the higher margins of safety, low incidence of side effects. Recent evidence shows several polyphenols can induce differentiation of healthy stem cells yet inhibit cancer stem cells.