New painkiller could replace morphine: study

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: AFP

Paris (AFP) - Scientists on Wednesday unveiled a synthetic drug that appears to neutralise pain as effectively as morphine but without the side-effects that make opioids so dangerous and addictive.

The big-data methods used by the researchers also open up a promising avenue in drug innovation, they reported in the journal Nature.

In experiments with mice, the new compound -- identified after screening "trillions" of candidates -- activated a known molecular pathway in the brain that triggers pain suppression.

But unlike morphine and prescription drugs such as oxycodone or oxycontin, it did not switch on a second pathway that can slow or block normal breathing.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/painkiller-could-replace-morphine-study-173020366.html

[7962]

1. This is a big deal if it works out nt

[kimmylavin]

2. This could be wonderful.

I was in a car accident that broke my leg in 22 places.
I was on morphine for a year and a half after the accident, including the time it took to get me off the morphine.

Honestly, weaning myself off the drugs - and the terrible, terrible withdrawal - was the worst part about the whole thing.
I was a completely different person.

And when I would go online looking for ways to relieve the symptoms, I just found forum after forum recommending *other* drugs.
Gave me new insights into addiction, I can tell you...

So yeah, this could be a good thing.

Will be interesting to keep an eye on.

[flamin lib]

3. One key to pain relief is to start early.

Once pain burns a neural pathway to the brain it is very difficult to block it. My wife had hip replacement surgery and the first thing they did was administer local anesthetic before the first incision. Then they gave her pain meds immediately upon awakening from surgery. After that not much medication even though they had her up and walking in a few hours after surgery.

I had an incident that caused intense pain and no amount of drug could block it but immediately upon draining the joint and relieving pressure I got some kinda' high.

It's about management if you can stay ahead of pain and then stop the treatment as early as possible. Pain isn't a symptom of lack of drugs, it's your body telling you not to do what hurts. Stay off the knee, keep your arm in a sling or wrap the ankle. Don't try to eradicate pain entirely, moderate it.

[smirkymonkey]

4. This is good news! I am violently allergic to opiates and always live in fear of

being in excruciating pain with no option for relief. (my entire body breaks out in unbearably itchy hives and I can't keep anything down, not even water). When i broke my arm they had to take me off them and gave me Tramadol, but it barely did anything to touch the pain and still made me very nauseated. It's good to know that there may be other options in the near future.

[roamer65]

5. For 7 years, it will be wildly expensive if it makes it to market.

Once it comes off patent, then it will be affordable.

I personally think once it comes to market, patent rights should be revoked and it should go to generic production ASAP.

[RegexReader]

8. that'll work out well

by encouraging others to spend $5 billion in bringing a wonderful new drug to market just to see it taken away from them and given to others.

Actions have reactions and consequences.

[MiniMe]

6. Hope they check it out well before they release it

They came out with an alternative pain killer for tooth pain about 15 years ago. I had a bad tooth at that time, and the dentist prescribed it. It worked great, but shortly after I took it, they pulled it from the market due to problems. I was getting phone calls from the pharmacy and the insurance company saying don't take the drug and dispose of any that you have. News had come out that said don't take it during that time. For me, it worked great. But I think there were side effects for some people.

[Hortensis]

7. Sure hope it's true. Uncontrolled pain is a dreadful

torment. We'll never know, but we strongly suspect a neighbor, a widowed pharmacist in her 40s, committed suicide to get away from a life of increasing pain, and no longer being able to travel or go dancing because of it. The suicide rate for people with chronic pain is double that for others.

[thecrow]

9. Hmmm.

They are now trying to get opioids off the market.
I recently had a doctor tell me that Percocet and Tylenol 3 would not relieve my back pain. (Although my experience is that they are quite effective on the pain)
I said, "Where did you hear that?" his reply? "That's what the government says." (!!!!!)

I wonder how much the new drugs will costs and how long it will take before they take it off the market due to "unexpected" side effects?
And if they don't suppress respiration, does that mean a person can take a lot more of them? That could be a problem.