Methods for treating pain

1. A method for treating osteoarthritis pain in a patient comprising:

administering a therapeutically effective amount of an α7 nAChR ligand to the patient, wherein the α7 nAChR ligand is a compound of formula (I),

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester, or amide thereof, wherein

n is 2;

A is N;

R is hydrogen or alkyl;

L is selected from the group consisting of O and —N(R a )—;

Ar 1 is pyridinyl;

Ar 2 is

wherein Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 are each carbon;

R b is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl;

R 6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, and haloalkyl;

R 7 is hydrogen; and

R a is hydrogen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the α7 nAChR ligand is selected from the group consisting of:

5-{5-[(endo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole;

5-{5-[(exo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole;

5-{5-[(exo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-2-yl}-2-trifluoromethyl-1H-indole;

4-{5-[(exo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole;

5-{6-[(endo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-3-yl}-1H-indole;

5-{6-[(exo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-3-yl}-1H-indole;

[6-(1H-indol-5-yl)-pyridin-3-yl]-[(endo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl]-amine;

[(endo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl]-[6-(2-trifluoromethyl-1H-indol-5-yl)-pyridin-3-yl]-amine;

[6-(1H-indol-4-yl)-pyridin-3-yl]-[(endo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl]-amine;

[(endo)-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl]-[6-(1H-indol-5-yl)-pyridin-3-yl]-amine;

[6-(1H-indol-6-yl)-pyridin-3-yl]-[(endo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl]-amine;

5-{5-[(exo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-3-yl}-1H-indole;

(endo)-N-(5-(1H-Indol-5-yl) pyridin-3-yl)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-amine;

(endo)-N-(5-(1H-Indol-4-yl) pyridin-3-yl)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-amine;

(endo)-N-(5-(1H-Indol-6-yl) pyridin-3-yl)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-amine;

(endo)-N-{5-[2-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-indol-5-yl]pyridin-3-yl}-8-Methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-amine;

5-{5-[(endo)-8-Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yloxy]pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole;

(1R,3r,5S,8s)-3-(6-(1H-Indol-5-yl)pyridin-3-yloxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane 8-oxide;

(1R,3r,5S,8r)-3-(6-(1H-Indol-5-yl)pyridin-3-yloxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane 8-oxide;

4-{5-[(endo)-8-Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yloxy]pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole; and

5-{5-[(exo)-8-Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yloxy]pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

administering an effective amount of at least one of a non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent, an opioid, a tricyclic antidepressant and an anticonvulsant in combination with the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ligand.

4. A method for treating osteoarthritis pain in a patient, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an α7 nAChR ligand selected from:

5-{5-[(endo)-8-Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yloxy]pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole;

4-{5-[(endo)-8-Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yloxy]pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole;

5-{5-[(exo)-8-Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yloxy]pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole;

4-{5-[(exo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-2-yl}-1H-indole; and

5-{6-[(endo)-8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yloxy]-pyridin-3-yl}-1H-indole, or

a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, ester or amide thereof.