Posted on 08/17/2017 1:55:16 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Researchers from the University of Texas have discovered what they say is a powerful painkiller that acts on a previously unknown pain pathway.
The synthetic compound, known as UKH-1114, effectively relieves neuropathic pain in injured mice, but it works at a much lower dose, with a longer duration of action.
If the researchers can demonstrate that the drug is safe, effective and nonaddictive in humans – a process that can take years – the discovery could address one of today’s biggest public health challenges: the opioid crisis.
Opioids are addictive and users quickly develop a tolerance for the drugs, requiring them to increase the dose to achieve the same effect.
The study’s lead author, Stephen Martin, said: ‘This opens the door to having a new treatment for neuropathic pain that is not an opioid. And that has huge implications.’
The pain drug they found binds to a receptor on cells throughout the central nervous system called the sigma 2 receptor. Although it was discovered 25 years ago, scientists still did not know what sigma 2 did until now.
The researchers tested the new drug on mice with nerve damage and found that it alleviated pain as well as another drug (gabapentin) did, but at just one-sixth of the dose. It was effective for much longer, lasting for a couple of days, compared with between 4 and 6 hours. This research is the first to demonstrate that the sigma 2 receptor may be a target for treating neuropathic pain.
At one time Ecstasy was a miracle drug.
I’m dealing with a fractured shoulder.
Send me a sample.
;-)
Maybe, maybe not. But announcing it is a good way to gin up some grant money.
Anything that acts at an option receptor is going to produce addiction. Anything. Even electrical stimulation. Anything that acts at a receptor that augments stimulation at an opiate receptor is going to produce addiction. Heroin was the cure for morphine addiction. Methadone was the cure for heroin addiction. I can run down a list of “balanced” receptor agonists that were supposed to be safe, the most recent Ultram. All fantasy.
oh, no...they’re going to take the opiods away from freepers...what will we do....what will we do..
I had a broken clavicle, aeons ago ... I know what you’re talking about.
Walk a mile in my shoes ... oh wait - you couldn’t.
So was Laudanum.
I wonder where they make UKH-1114? We’ll probably end up fighting a 20 year ground war there to control it.
Has anyone done this yet? If it gets you high, it’s gonna be addictive. When people try it and can testify it’s non-psycho active like aspirin or ibuprofen, then let us know.
There have been many of these false hopes about replacing opiates, both drugs that were addictive themselves and ones that didn’t work very well.
Looked this up. This works off the sigma-2 receptor. The sigma-1 receptor is stimulated by the following drugs: Cocaine, DXM(ie cough syrup), Methamphetamine, “some” opioids, ketamine, ritalin, PCP, DMT(the base molecule for psychedelic drugs and a very powerful hallucinogen in it’s own right). Hmmmm.
Hey its simple economics to protect their profits.
Does it also keep one from pooping?
If you were dealing with severe pain every day you wouldn’t be so glib.
Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA) has a non-opioid pain med in phase 2 clinical trial. Could be a blockbuster.
could you disclose more, please?
“If you were dealing with severe pain every day you wouldn’t be so glib.”
Amen
APD371, an orally available agonist of the CB2 receptor, is an internally discovered investigational drug candidate that Arena is exploring for potential development in several indications, including pain. This compound, through its selectivity, is designed to provide pain relief without psychotropic effects and without the potential for dependence or abuse.
Supposed to be more powerful than morphine according to stuff I’ve read.
More info at www.arenapharma.com
Full disclosure I’m a long suffering underwater shareholder.
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