Science Daily reports on Duke researchers who have created a new class of painkiller that experiments show is as effective as opioids at eliminating pain from injuries and surgeries, but without the notorious side effects like constipation, sedation, drug tolerance … or addiction:
The drug, called SBI-810, is part of a new generation of compounds designed to target a receptor on the nerves and spinal cord. While opioids flood multiple cellular pathways indiscriminately, SBI-810, a non-opioid treatment, takes a more focused approach, activating only a specific pain-relief pathway that avoids the euphoric “high” linked to addiction.
In tests in mice, SBI-810 worked well on its own and, when used in combination, made opioids more effective at lower doses, according to the study published May 19 in Cell.
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SBI-810 effectively relieved pain from surgical incisions, bone fractures, and nerve injuries better than some existing painkillers. When injected in mice, it reduced signs of spontaneous discomfort, such as guarding and facial grimacing.
Duke scientists compared SBI-810 to oliceridine, a newer type of opioid used in hospitals, and found SBI-810 worked better in some situations, with fewer signs of distress.
Unlike opioids like morphine, SBI-810 didn’t cause tolerance after repeated use. It also outperformed gabapentin, a common drug for nerve pain, and didn’t cause sedation or memory problems, which are often seen with gabapentin.
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You can read more about the new drug here, in Cell.