Dental pain -: Clinical evidence with piroxicam-β-cyclodextrin

Although the analgesic properties of piroxicam in postoperative settings (e.g. post-dental extraction) have been well documented, the relatively slow onset of action of this nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) has somewhat limited its usefulness. To counter this disadvantage, piroxicam has been complexed with the cyclic oligosaccharide beta-cyclodextrin, to form piroxicam-beta-cyclodextrin. This new compound enhances the aqueous solubility of piroxicam, increases its rate of absorption, and results in more rapid achievement of therapeutic concentrations than occurs with standard piroxicam. Clinical studies in patients with postoperative dental pain have shown that piroxicam-beta-cyclodextrin is an effective analgesic agent. Furthermore, these studies have shown that the onset of analgesia provided by oral piroxicam-beta-cyclodextrin in this setting is comparable to that of paracetamol and ibuprofen, and possibly more rapid than that of standard piroxicam. Oral piroxicam-beta-cyclodextrin is thus a rapid and effective agent for the relief of postoperative dental pain.