Abstract: The present invention provides methods of preventing or alleviating sympathetically-enhanced conditions, neurological conditions, ocular conditions and chronic pain without concomitant sedation by peripherally administering to a subject an effective amount of an ?-2A/?-1A selective agonist, thereby preventing or alleviating the condition or chronic pain without concomitant sedation, where the selective agonist has an ?-1A efficacy less than that of brimonidine or a ratio of ?-1A/?-2A potency greater than that of brimonidine.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ?-2A/?-1A selective agonist that includes a compound represented by Structure 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester, amide, sterioisomer or racemic mixture thereof. The present invention further provides a pharmaceutical composition that contains a pharmaceutical carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of an ?-2A/?-1A selective agonist that includes a compound represented by Structure 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester, amide, sterioisomer or racemic mixture thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of treating chronic pain in a mammal by administering to the mammal an effective amount of a selective persistent sodium channel antagonist that has at least 20-fold selectivity for persistent sodium current relative to transient sodium current.

Abstract: A method for identifying a Na+ channel blocker, including providing a cell containing a Na+ channel blocker, demonstrating both a transient and a persistent current. The cell includes a potassium (K) channel and a Na/K AtPase (Na+ pump). A florescent dye is disposed into the well. The florescent dye is sensitive to change in cell membrane potential in order to enable optical measurement of cell membrane potential. A Na+ channel blocker, to be identified, is added to the well and a stimulating current is passed through the cell in an amount sufficient to generate an action potential before and after the addition of the Na+ channel blocker. Thereafter, a change in cell membrane potential is optically measured.