Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36057884›Full record

Trial reportInflammopharmacology2022

A randomized controlled trial assessing the safety and efficacy of palmitoylethanolamide for treating diabetic-related peripheral neuropathic pain.

Emily Pickering, Elizabeth L Steels, Kathryn J Steadman, Amanda Rao, Luis Vitetta

Registry-linked trialOpen access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Inflammopharmacology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07609810 (The Effect of Palmitoylethanolamide on the Clinical Outcomes in Ulcerative Colitis Patients), which is not on this map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07609810 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

The Effect of Palmitoylethanolamide on the Clinical Outcomes in Ulcerative Colitis Patients

TypeinterventionalSponsorAin Shams UniversityRan2026 to 2029Enrolled60ConditionsUlcerative Colitis (UC)ArmsPalmitoylethanolamide (PEA), Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Review
  6. Natural Molecules for Brain Health and Resilience.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Emily PickeringSchool of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, PACE Precinct, 20 Cornwall Street, Wooloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7730-8164
Elizabeth L SteelsSchool of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, PACE Precinct, 20 Cornwall Street, Wooloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia. e.steels@uq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4743-2751
Kathryn J SteadmanSchool of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, PACE Precinct, 20 Cornwall Street, Wooloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7357-330X
Amanda RaoSchool of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0090-9217
Luis VitettaFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7490-9298
The University of Queensland · AUSeqwater · AUThe University of Sydney · AU

Funding

University of Queensland Graduate School Scholarship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeripheral neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes. The management of the associated neuropathic pain remains difficult to treat.

objectiveThis study explored the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) formulation in treating diabetic-related peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). Secondary outcomes included systemic inflammation, sleep and mood changes in patients diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and PNP.

designThis study was a single-centre, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with 70 participants receiving 600 mg of PEA or placebo daily, for 8 weeks, with a 94% rate of study participation completion. Primary outcomes were neuropathic pain and specific pain types (the BPI-DPN and NPSI). The secondary outcomes were sleep quality (MOS sleep scale), mood (DASS-21), glucose metabolism and inflammation.

resultsThere was a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.001) in BPI-DPN total pain and pain interference, NPSI total score and sub-scores, except for evoked pain (P = 0.09) in the PEA group compared with the placebo group. The MOS sleep problem index and sub-scores significantly improved (P ≤ 0.001). DASS-21 depression scores significantly reduced (P = 0.03), but not anxiety or stress scores. Interleukin-6 and elevated C-reactive protein levels significantly reduced in the PEA group (P = 0.05), with no differences in fibrinogen between groups (P = 0.78) at treatment completion. There were no changes in safety pathology parameters, and the treatment was well tolerated.

conclusionsThe study demonstrated that the PEA formulation reduced diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and inflammation along with improving mood and sleep. Further studies on the mechanistic effectiveness of PEA as an adjunct medicine and as a monotherapy pain analgesic are warranted. CLINICAL

trial registrationRegistry name: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), Registration number: ACTRN12620001302943, Registration link: https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380826 , Actual study start date: 20 November 2020.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Diabetic NeuropathiesNeuralgiaAmidesAustraliaEthanolaminesHumansInflammationPalmitic AcidsTreatment OutcomeAmidesEthanolaminespalmidrolPalmitic AcidsDiabetesDiabetic neuropathyInflammationNeuropathic painPainPalmitoylethanolamidePEA

Identifiers

PMID36057884
PMCPMC9700575
OpenAlexW4294557403

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.