Hashish For Ache Reduction: Scientists Develop New Compound With out Thoughts-Altering Results — Various To Opioids? – Vertex Prescription drugs (NASDAQ:VRTX)

A brand new compound that gives the pain-relieving properties of hashish with out the mind-altering results can function an efficient various to opioids for ache reduction, in keeping with researchers who developed the compound that mimics a pure molecule discovered within the hashish plant.

Researchers from Washington College College of Medication in St. Louis and Stanford College discovered the compound harnesses the pain-relieving properties of hashish with out inflicting dependancy in mice.

“There’s an pressing must develop non-addictive therapies for persistent ache, and that is been a serious focus of my lab for the previous 15 years,” stated lead creator Susruta Majumdar, Ph.D of Washington College College of Medication.

“The custom-designed compound we created attaches to pain-reducing receptors within the physique however by design, it may well’t attain the mind. This implies the compound avoids psychoactive unwanted side effects resembling temper modifications and is not addictive as a result of it does not act on the mind’s reward heart,” Majumdar stated.

The findings, printed within the journal Nature on March 5, confirmed that in each mouse fashions, injections of the modified compound eradicated contact hypersensitivity.

Majumdar, a professor of anesthesiology, defined in a Washington College press release that opioids boring the feeling of ache within the mind and hijack the mind’s reward system, triggering the discharge of dopamine and emotions of enjoyment, which make opioids so addictive.

Authorities surveys present analgesics, or medicines that management ache, are probably the most generally prescribed sort of drug in hospitals. And, according to the Facilities for Illness Management drug overdoses associated to opioids, together with fentanyl are among the many main causes of unintentional demise within the U.S. In 2022, some 82,000 deaths within the U.S. have been linked to opioids.

“For millennia, folks have turned to marijuana as a remedy for ache. Scientific trials even have evaluated whether or not hashish gives long-term ache reduction,” stated co-corresponding research creator Professor Robert Gereau of Washington College’s Medication Ache Heart.

“However inevitably the psychoactive unwanted side effects of hashish have been problematic, stopping hashish from being thought of as a viable remedy choice for ache. Nevertheless, we have been capable of overcome that concern,” Gereau added.

Roughly 125 million opioid prescriptions have been disbursed to American sufferers in 2023 to deal with reasonable to extreme ache, according to the CDC.

In January 2025, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration accepted the primary new ache reliever to hit the market in additional than 20 years. This medicine, produced by Vertex Prescription drugs Inc VRTX, is a non-opioid and due to this fact non-addictive. 

Now Learn:

Photograph: Shutterstock