New approach to understanding and controlling chronic pain

Researchers working at the University of Davis, California have discovered a "quick dialogue" between two biological processes that plays a major role in the formation of pain. This study is seen as a new approach to understanding and controlling chronic pain.

The published research results show that analgesics that work through intermediates are enzyme inhibitors, enzymes that dissolve the hydrolyzed epoxide compounds (sEH), depending on the good denosinemonophosphate cycle. also known as the AMP cycle: acts as the second intermediate object that conveys feelings that cause pain.

"The interaction of many complex biological processes is the main cause of persistent pain, whether it is due to an infection or neurological disease ," said team leader Bora Inceoglou. work at the Bruce Hammock lab, located at UC Davis, USA. Inflammatory pain including arthritis, and neuropathy associated with diabetes and other illnesses, and trauma.

" The main pain is the primary concern in human health care and painkillers or anesthetics all have side effects ," said Bora Inceoglou. Painkillers can have a positive effect on stopping pain, but are often associated with side effects or widespread inefficiencies.

The research results are achieved through the cooperation of scientists working at: UC Davis insect department, a research center at UC Davis mail, UC Davis University of Medicine, USA, has been published. in the early July edition of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

According to estimates by the " American Pain Society ", about 9%, in other words, about 30 million adults in the United States suffer from chronic pain from moderate to severe, which is Not to mention cancer patients.

Sensory transfer medium, AMP cycle, interaction of many complex biological processes, including inflammation, cardiovascular disease and smooth muscle contraction.

Studies conducted on rodents and funded by the National Institutes of Health, confirmed by previous studies at UC Davis showed the stability of essential fatty acids (EFAs) through the SEH inhibition has analgesic effects. " However, in the absence of a muscle pain, inhibition of sEH is ineffective ," Inceoglu said.

" This allows our bodies to react to normal pain to protect our body from further destruction of intact tissue, in the process of relieving pain ," said Steven Jinks, co. author of the study and a neurobiologist, an assistant professor of anesthesiology and analgesics, UC Davis Medical University, USA.

" Another advantage of sEH's inhibition is that it does not reduce mobility in some trials, unlike other painkillers, " said Karen Wagner, PhD student, member of the study group. Save work at the Hammock lab.

While conducting this study, scientists have made new discoveries."To our surprise, we found that cAMP interacts with natural EFAs and regulates the effects of painkillers or sHE inhibitors, " Inceoglu said.

"This demonstrates the effectiveness of using advanced analytical tools and techniques to better understand the molecular mechanisms of biological effects, " said Nils Helge Schebb, a researcher and a real doctor. episode, member of the Hammock group, who worked on the quantitative of oxylipins in this project. Schebb will leave UC Davis this week to take a leadership position in the scientific research group at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany.

" This is like a mix of old and new, between reality and basic, " said Hammock, a renowned entomologist, who is collaborating with the UC Davis Cancer Research Center.

Why old? According to the study, Hammock said, related to " an old drug called phosphodiesterase inhibitor that works to increase the concentration of natural compounds in the body called EETs (epoxyeicosatrienoic acid). Rolipram , Viagra, Theophyline, and Ibudilast are all substances in the old class of drugs called phosphodiesterase inhibitors. "

Why new? Hammock Laboratory previously reported a new class of experimental drugs called soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors (sEHIs) stabilize and also increased the concentration of natural body compounds called EETs (epoxyeicosatrienoic acid). .
Why practical and basic? "A practical application of this work has been proved by Bora Inceoglu, which is a combination of old and new drugs that will be highly effective in pain management," said lead author Hammock, the author of the study. article. " Of course, the basic aspects of the work include new insights into how EETs, nucleotide cycles and decay enzymes interact with each other to regulate a variety of biological functions."