Close X
Thursday, November 14, 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

    Scientists create Parkinson's disease in lab

    Scientists create Parkinson's disease in lab
      To unravel what actually goes wrong in people with Parkinson's disease and find out potential new therapy, scientists have successfully created....

    Scientists create Parkinson's disease in lab

    Premature babies at higher risk of brain disorders

    Premature babies at higher risk of brain disorders
    In the early stages of brain growth, a disturbance like a premature birth could affect its neuro-circuitry, leading to a higher risk of neurological disorders, says a new research....

    Premature babies at higher risk of brain disorders

    Orange triggers deadly allergy in asthmatic toddler

    Orange triggers deadly allergy in asthmatic toddler
    A toddler in Pennsylvania suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis after eating an orange - the first time such a case has been reported in someone so young....

    Orange triggers deadly allergy in asthmatic toddler

    'Lactose intolerance reduces risk of certain cancers'

    'Lactose intolerance reduces risk of certain cancers'
    People with lactose intolerance are at a lower risk of suffering from lung, breast and ovarian cancers, says a new research....

    'Lactose intolerance reduces risk of certain cancers'

    Walnut-rich diet may lower risk of Alzheimer's

    Walnut-rich diet may lower risk of Alzheimer's
    A diet rich in walnuts has the beneficial effect of lowering the risk or preventing Alzheimer's disease altogether, a research said Thursday....

    Walnut-rich diet may lower risk of Alzheimer's

    Diabetes, heart disease may share deep roots

    Diabetes, heart disease may share deep roots
    Type 2 diabetes and cardio-vascular disease often occur together and scientists have now discovered that the two diseases may be related at the level of genes...

    Diabetes, heart disease may share deep roots