Can a common cough drug dampen pain sensitivity?
NCT ID NCT02596360
First seen Aug 06, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-stage trial asks whether dextromethorphan, a common cough suppressant, can reduce heightened pain sensitivity in healthy adults. Participants receive both dextromethorphan and a placebo on separate occasions, and researchers measure pain thresholds in skin areas that become sensitized after a mild experimental pain procedure. The goal is to see if the drug can block the amplification of pain signals, which could inform future treatments for chronic pain.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dextromethorphan (Pulmodexane® 30mg)
- What this could lead to
- If dextromethorphan reduces pain sensitivity in healthy people, it could point toward new treatments for chronic pain conditions involving central sensitization.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study in healthy volunteers, so results may not apply to people with pain conditions. Dextromethorphan can cause side effects like dizziness and drowsiness.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
-
20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Start date
-
Nov 2015
- Finished
-
Mar 2016
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 45 years
- Sex
-
Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy male volunteers * Aged between 18 and 45 years * CYP2D6 Extensive and Intermediate metabolizers * Body mass index (BMI) between 19 and 30 kg/m2 * Systolic blood pressure between 100 and 150 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure between 50 and 90 mmHg, heart rate between 45 and 90 beats per minute * Without treatment during the 7 days before inclusion specially no use of analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs * Cooperation and understanding enough to conform to the study obligations * Having given free informed written consent * Affiliated to the French Social Security * Inscription or acceptation of inscription in the national register of volunteers involved in trials. Exclusion Criteria: * Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients * Lactose intolerance * Hypertension * History of stroke * Severe heart failure * Severe hepatic impairment * Shortness of breath * Congenital galactosemia, glucose-galactose malabsorption, lactase deficiency * Association with linezolid * Pre-existence or history of peripheral neuropathy due to a cause different from neurotoxic chemotherapy * Diabetes (type I and II) * CYP2D6 Poor and Ultra-rapid metabolizers * AST, ALT, total bilirubin twice the average * Dextromethorphan intake during the 7 days before inclusion * Medical and surgical history incompatible with the study * Disease progression during inclusion * Excessive consumption of alcohol (\> 50g/day), tobacco (≥ 10 cigarettes/day), coffee, tea or drinks with caffeine (equivalent to more than 4 cups a day) or any addiction to drugs * Subject lacking concentration during tests training and low test results reproducibility * Subject does not meet the selection criteria for its ability to discriminate sensations to noxious stimuli during psychometric tests * Subject exclusion period, or the total allowable compensation exceeded * Subject undergoing a measure of legal protection (guardianship, supervision
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
CHU Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand, 63003, France
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