This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Snail venom a potential treatment for chronic pain, study suggests
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has suggested that the Rg1A compound found in the venom of Conus regius snail could be used to develop a treatment for chronic pain.
The research involved conducting studies on rats which were treated with a chemotherapy drug that caused them to be hypersensitive to cold and touch, experiencing pain. However, those treated with Rg1A did not experience discomfort.
The findings mean it is possible the compound could be used to create a new pain therapy for patients, other than opioids which can be highly addictive and can cause adverse side-effects.
J Michael McIntosh, professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah Health Sciences, said: "What is particularly exciting about these results is the aspect of prevention.
"Once chronic pain has developed, it is difficult to treat.
"This compound offers a potential new pathway to prevent pain from developing in the first place and offer a new therapy to patients who have run out of options."
"We found that the compound was still working 72 hours after the injection, still preventing pain.”
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