Painful diabetic neuropathy: The role of ion channels

Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a common chronic complication of diabetes that causes neuropathic pain and negatively affects the quality of life. The management of PDN is far from satisfactory. At present, interventions are primarily focused on symptomatic treatment. Ion channel disorders are a major cause of PDN, and a complete understanding of their roles and mechanisms may provide better options for the clinical treatment of PDN. Therefore, this review summarizes the important role of ion channels in PDN and the current drug development targeting these ion channels. [Display omitted] •Multiple ion channels are involved in the development of painful diabetic neuropathy.•Ion channel disorders are an important cause of painful diabetic neuropathy.•Drugs that target ion channels can be used to treat painful diabetic neuropathy.