Source: Good News Network
These scientists have been working to find a safe, non-addictive pain killer to help fight the current opioid crisis in this country – and they may have done just that.
Known as AT-121, the new chemical compound has dual therapeutic action that suppressed the addictive effects of opioids and produced morphine-like analgesic effects in non-human primates.
“In our study, we found AT-121 to be safe and non-addictive, as well as an effective pain medication,” said Mei-Chuan Ko, professor of physiology and pharmacology at the School of Medicine.
“In addition, this compound also was effective at blocking abuse potential of prescription opioids, much like buprenorphine does for heroin, so we hope it could be used to treat pain and opioid abuse.”
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The research, which was conducted by scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine with the support of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
The main objective of this study was to design and test a chemical compound that would work on both the mu opioid receptor, the main component in the most effective prescription pain killers, and the nociceptin receptor, which opposes or…
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