Tooth pulp stimulation: a method of determining the analgesic efficacy of meptazinol in man.

A dose-ranging study of meptazinol was carried out using the pain threshold to electrical tooth pulp stimulation in healthy volunteers as the pain model. A well defined dose-response curve was found for oral meptazinol (50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg and 200 mg) and placebo. The methodology and results are discussed in terms of subsequent clinical experience with meptazinol.