Method of treating pain using nalbuphine and opioid antagonists

A method of treating neuropathic pain comprising administering to a human patient in need of such treatment (a) nalbuphine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of nalbuphine or a prodrug of nalbuphine, and (b) an opioid antagonist selected from the group consisting of naloxone, naltrexone, nalmefene, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and prodrugs therefor.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising an amount of nalbuphine or a pharmaceutically effective salt thereof or prodrug therefor, effective to treat neuropathic pain in a human patient, and a pain-relieving enhancing amount of an opioid antagonist selected from the group consisting of naloxone, naltrexone and nalmefene, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and prodrugs therefor.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising (a) from about 3 to about 8 mg of nalbuphine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug of nalbuphine, said nalbuphine salt or prodrug being present in an amount that produces in the human patient the same blood concentration of nalbuphine as would administration of from 3 to 8 mg of nalbuphine;

• and (b) from about 0.2 to about 0.8 mg of an opioid antagonist selected from the group consisting of naloxone, naltrexone, nalmefene, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and prodrugs therefor;
• said salt or prodrug being present in an amount that, when administered to said human patient, produces in the patient the same blood concentration of opioid antagonist as would administration of from about 0.2 to about 0.8 mg of said opioid antagonist.