New Painkillers Reduce Overdose Risk

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http://neurosciencenews.com/opioid-painkiller-overdose-7962/

In this article Dr. Laura Bohn details her findings that after two decades of research her and her colleagues were successfully able to separate the pathways of painkilling and respiration thus allowing them to develop an opioid they describe as on par with morphine that does not stop or slow breathing, which is the main cause of opioid overdose deaths. Through their research they were able to see their new opioid was able to enter the brain of mice just as potently as typical opioids.


In class we discussed addiction and the number of deaths associated with overdoses caused by it. While being addicted to any drug is harmful and needs treatment the development of this drug has the potential to be used to help those already addicted to opioids cut out and decrease what they are already taking as they transition into being clean. Since the body quickly builds tolerance to pain killers often leading people to using higher doses to receive the effects this would greatly reduce the risks of accidental overdoses. 

Comments

  1. Morgan SagerNovember 16, 2017 at 11:03 PM

    I believe this new opioid is something that would benefit as an agonist treatment. Producing a similar effect could defend users against drug craving and relapse. Normally opioid addictions are treated with synthetic opioid called methadone, but as the textbook states, it is controversial due to replaces one addiction for another.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Collin MorleyNovember 16, 2017 at 11:48 PM

    This new opioid seems like it would be a very good transition drug for those that are addicted to opioids. The fact that it does not slow down or stop someone's breathing is great because it sounds like it could reduce someone's withdrawal symptoms. It also looks like it could be used without having to use something like Naltrexone over and over again to block the opioid in someone's system.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Adam MyersNovember 17, 2017 at 6:47 AM

    This is actually an area where I am quite familiar. I am currently working on a research project that studies the opioid addiction pathway and how to make pain relievers that have morphine-like analgesia without the risk of addiction. The b-arrestin vs G-protein internalization processes are definately interesting and worth studying. Thank you for bringing this new drug to my attention because now I can also look into decreasing respiratory depression along with a decreased risk of tolerance. Do you have any idea what the compound's name is?

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownApril 25, 2018 at 9:54 AM

    The new opioid they created sounds like it has some positive new qualities to it. After reading Collin's comment I can see this being a transition drug as well, but then it has me wonder that if it has all of these great qualities I wonder if this will be a new drug that people abuse. With having a few family members addicted to opioids and then moving on to heroine and almost overdosing I love to see things that could possibly change the drug history.

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