Red Hot Chili Peppers Lead To New Pain Research Findings

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Red Hot Chili Peppers Lead To New Pain Research Findings

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=47315

While the number one reason patients go to the doctor is to address

some form of pain, there has been no breakthrough class of pain drugs

for many decades. Currently, there are two major classes of pain

therapeutics: opiates, such as morphine, and non-steroidal anti-

inflammatory agents, such as aspirin. Both of these classes of

compounds have been used to treat patients for centuries, originally

as plant extracts and more recently in the forms with which we're

familiar today.

The Chili Pepper Connection

As part of ongoing efforts to find the next generation of treatments

for pain, Abbott researchers started looking at another natural

product, capsaicin. Capsaicin is the active ingredient in chili

peppers that causes a burning sensation in the mouth. If capsaicin is

administered for a longer period of time, that initial burning

sensation goes away and one can obtain pain relief. People have been

applying capsaicin in topical ointments and patches for some years.

The problem is that with repeated topical use, capsaicin

overactivates the receptors that modulate it, and may wind up

eventually destroying the nerve fibers on which the receptor sits.

Approximately seven years ago, the TRPV1, or vanilloid, receptor was

identified as a receptor that mediates that burning sensation

associated with capsaicin in hot peppers. Abbott scientists thought

that by identifying a highly selective blocker of the TRPV1 receptor

that they be able to illicit pain relief across a broad spectrum of

pain states. Importantly, a selective blocker would not elicit the

initial burning sensation associated with capsaicin and repeated use

would not damage the nerve fibers.

Compounds have been identified which block this receptor and could

address the unmet pain management needs for cancer, osteoarthritis

pain and post-operative pain.

Abbott's Neuroscience Work

Neuroscience is an extremely complex area and while many advances

have been made in the treatment of neurological conditions, a huge

unmet medical need still exists. Abbott's efforts are focused on

devastating disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's

disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as

pain management.

Despite the fact that there are treatments on the market for patients

with these diseases and conditions, many patients don't respond to

existing therapies, and those who do frequently deal with what are

often severe side effects. Our goal at Abbott is to advance

innovative approaches that address the unmet needs of patients.