Chinese Journal of Dermatology ›› 2024, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (5): 475-478.doi: 10.35541/cjd.20210582

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Small-molecule/biological agents in the treatment of pruritus

Guo Lan, Jin Hongzhong   

  1. Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases, Beijing 100730, China
  • Received:2021-08-11 Revised:2022-05-06 Online:2024-05-15 Published:2024-04-30
  • Contact: Jin Hongzhong E-mail:jinhongzhong@263.net
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(82073450); National High‐Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (2022-PUMCH-B-092)

Abstract: 【Abstract】 In recent years, great progress has been made in the research on the pathogenesis of pruritus, and many new targeted therapeutic drugs have been developed, mainly including small-molecule drugs or biological agents targeting signal transduction pathways involved in the pathogenesis of pruritus, such as neurokinin-1 receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase A, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, transient receptor potential melastatin 8 channels, interleukin 31, etc. Some of these drugs have shown good efficacy and safety in the treatment of pruritus in a variety of skin diseases, providing more options for patients with pruritus, especially those who are resistant to traditional drug treatment. This review summarizes research progress in the above small-molecule drugs and biological agents targeting signaling pathways involved in pruritus, in order to provide more options for pruritus treatment.

Key words: Pruritus, Biological agents, Signal transduction, Small molecule inhibitors