Antidepressant could be new weapon against shingles pain

NCT ID NCT07361809

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: Beijing Tiantan Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether the antidepressant desvenlafaxine can reduce pain from shingles (herpes zoster) better than standard treatments alone. Researchers will enroll 750 adults with moderate to severe pain and compare those taking desvenlafaxine plus usual care to those receiving only usual care. The goal is to see if desvenlafaxine provides additional pain relief without major side effects.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Desvenlafaxine
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a new, non-opioid option to ease shingles pain and lower the risk of long-term nerve pain.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage trial without a specified phase, so results are uncertain. Desvenlafaxine may cause side effects like nausea or dizziness, and it might not provide better pain relief than existing treatments.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

herpes zoster Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HERPES ZOSTER PAIN

Contacts and locations

Locations

Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing, Beijing 100070
RECRUITING

Beijing, China

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