Flupirtine

Flupirtine is an aminopyridine that functions as a centrally acting non-opioid analgesic. It first became available in Europe in 1984, and is sold mainly under the names Katadolon, Trancolong, Awegal, Efiret, Trancopal Dolo, and Metanor. Like nefopam, it is unique among analgesics in that it is a non-opioid, non-NSAID, non-steroidal centrally acting analgesic. In 2010 the chemically related drug (the difference being that the pyridine group in flupirtine is replaced with a phenyl group) retigabine (INN; ezogabine [USAN]) was approved by the FDA as an anticonvulsant for the treatment of refractory partial-onset seizures in treatment-experienced patients. Retigabine also works by opening the neuronal KCNQ/K_v7 potassium channel, just like flupirtine.