Eight million Spaniards suffer chronic pain. Those in charge of transmitting pain sensations are a type of sensory neurons called nociceptors, which transfer information from the skin to the brain. An international investigation, led by the University of Granada (UGR), has now discovered that part of these nociceptors produces a substance that has the same pain-relieving effects than morphinecalled endomorphin-2.
Those in charge of directing the study are Enrique Cobos and Mª Carmen Ruiz, two researchers from the Department of UGR Pharmacology. Both have detected that by blocking a small protein expressed by these neurons, called the sigma-1 receptor, the effect of endomorphin-2 on nociceptors is greatly increased and is capable of stopping the sensation of pain.
This effect occurs only where the sensitized nociceptor is, so it could lead to pain relief similar to that of morphine but limited exclusively to the painful area.
Treatment for chronic pain?
The work carried out in mice could be of great interest to increase the mechanisms that internally cause pain relief, and thus more effectively treat chronic pain through a novel mechanism. Thanks to this, new analgesics could be produced for the peace of mind of this type of patient.
These results have recently been published in British Journal of Pharmacologyone of the most important journals of experimental pharmacology worldwide.