Close X
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
ADVT 
Health

'Off switch' for pain discovered

Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 Nov, 2014 01:48 PM
    Researchers have uncovered a new way to block neuropathic pain including pain caused by chemotherapeutic agents and bone cancer.
     
    Turning on a receptor called A3 in the brain and spinal cord could quell pain, the results of the research found.
     
    The receptor can be activated by its chemical stimulator, the small molecule adenosine.
     
    "It has long been appreciated that harnessing the potent pain-killing effects of adenosine could provide a breakthrough step towards an effective treatment for chronic pain," said researcher Daniela Salvemini from the Saint Louis University in the US.
     
    "Our findings suggest that this goal may be achieved by focusing future work on the A3AR (adenosine receptor) pathway as its activation provides robust pain reduction across several types of pain," Salvemini added.
     
    The most successful pharmacological approaches for the treatment of chronic pain rely on certain pathways: circuits involving opioid, adrenergic and calcium channels.
     
    For the past decade, scientists have tried to take advantage of these known pathways where the series of interactions between molecular-level components take place that consequently lead to pain.
     
    While adenosine had shown potential for pain-killing in humans, researchers had not successfully leveraged this particular pain pathway because the targeted receptor engaged many side effects.
     
    In this research on animal models, Salvemini and colleagues demonstrated that activation of the A3 adenosine receptor subtype is key in mediating the pain relieving effects of adenosine.
     
    The study appeared in the journal Brain.

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Single gene mutation could lead to infertility

    Single gene mutation could lead to infertility
    Not through a disruption of the production of egg or sperm cells but rather by leading to abnormalities in the morphology of the sexual organs - making...

    Single gene mutation could lead to infertility

    Mice allergy: a predictor of asthma in kids

    Mice allergy: a predictor of asthma in kids
    According to a study, mice allergy is a stronger predictor of asthma-related emergency department visits in young children than exposure to cockroaches....

    Mice allergy: a predictor of asthma in kids

    New transformation technique to repair damaged tissue

    New transformation technique to repair damaged tissue
    By transforming human scar cells into blood vessel cells, scientists have discovered a new way to repair damaged tissue....

    New transformation technique to repair damaged tissue

    Facebook to be mostly video in five years

    Facebook to be mostly video in five years
    According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the social networking site will be mostly video in next five years....

    Facebook to be mostly video in five years

    A new drug to treat a common liver disease

    A new drug to treat a common liver disease
    An experimental drug aimed at treating a common liver disease came up with promising results at a clinical trial in the US....

    A new drug to treat a common liver disease

    Living near tobacco shops bad for your kids

    Living near tobacco shops bad for your kids
    Teenagers are much more likely to take up smoking if they live in neighbourhoods with a large number of shops that sell tobacco products, a study suggests....

    Living near tobacco shops bad for your kids