OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding ipidacrine to the therapy of patients with peripheral neuropathies (PN) of any etiology.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of ipidacrine in patients with PN from 2000 to 2025 was conducted. Based on four database searches, 12 studies involving 4.309 adult patients were included in the analysis. The outcomes evaluated included the dynamics of pain intensity, neurophysiological parameters according to the results of electroneuromyography, and safety parameters.

RESULTS

Statistically significant superiority of ipidacrine over comparison therapy in reducing pain intensity on a visual analogue scale at 2 (mean difference [MD] 6.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.30; 10.02, p=0.002) and 8 weeks (MD 8.59, 95% CI 1.46; 15.73, p=0.018), as well as on a digital rating scale at 4 weeks (MD 1.10, 95% CI 0.18; 2.02, p=0.02). The increase in the velocity of the pulse along the peripheral motor fibers after 6 weeks during ipidacrine therapy was statistically significantly greater than during comparison therapy (MD –4.08, 95% CI –5.63; –2.53, p<0.001). A statistically significant superiority of ipidacrine therapy was noted in terms of a decrease in the neuropathic dysfunctional score at 8 weeks (p=0.007), the frequency of pain reduction at 2 weeks (p=0.032). There was no clinically significant increase in the incidence of adverse events when ipidacrine was added to therapy.

CONCLUSION

Ipidacrine is an effective and safe component of complex therapy of PN, promotes pain relief, improved nerve conduction and functional recovery with good tolerance.