A breakthrough in the Treatment of chronic pain made
The treatment of chronic pain could lead to in the future with the help of newly developed active ingredients to a full pain relief. This could help millions of people with chronic pain to lead a normal, pain-free life.
In the current investigation of the University of Copenhagen, a new method has been tested for the treatment of chronic pain, which could lead to full pain relief. The new type of treatment has been successfully tested on mice. The results of the study were published in the English journal “EMBO Molecular Medicine”.
How widespread is chronic pain?
Between seven and ten percent of the world’s population suffer from chronic pain caused by damaged nerves. Chronic pain can occur after surgery, in people with Diabetes, according to a blood clot and, after an Amputation in the Form of phantom pain.
The treatment affects exclusively the nerve changes
The researchers from the University of Copenhagen have now found a new way to treat chronic pain. For more than a decade, the research group is working to develop a drug and test a complete pain to cause relief. The new method for the treatment of chronic pain does not affect the General neural signal transmission, but only the nervous changes, which are caused by disease.
Special peptide allows for pain relief
In the case of the developed compound is a so-called peptide, called Tat-P4-(C5)2. This peptide is targeted and only affects the nervous changes, which pose a Problem and cause pain. “We have followed the entire process, from understanding the biology, the invention and the Design of the active substance to the description of the mode of action in animals, of influencing their behavior and in pain relief,” says study author Professor Kenneth Lindegaard Madsen, University of Copenhagen in a press release.
Peptide led to complete pain relief
The researchers describe the drug as very efficient and could find no side effects. The peptide resulted in the used mouse model, a complete pain relief, without the lethargic effect, which is for existing analgesic drugs actually characteristic. In a previous study, the researchers were also already in an animal model to demonstrate that the use of the peptide can also reduce the dependence on painkillers.
Further research is already planned
The next step was to test the treatment in people, according to the research team. Since the goal is the development of a drug, plan the researchers already have a Biotech-based company, in order to achieve this goal quickly. (as)