Flupirtine is neither an opioid nor a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) producing its analgesic action through blockade of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. It is devoid of adverse effects of routinely used analgesic drugs, but is equally efficacious in reducing pain sensation. It has a distinctive mechanism of action, exerting a dual therapeutic effect with both analgesic and muscle relaxant properties that has utility in the treatment of pain, including that associated with muscle tension.
Keywords: Flupirtine; N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; opioids.