92% of French people have suffered from short or long-term pain during the year (results of a CSA survey for Sanofi on French people and pain carried out in September 2014). If, since March 4, 2002, the law relating to the rights of patients and the quality of the health system recognizes the relief of pain as a fundamental right, it is not always easy to find the appropriate treatment, and well tolerated. .
In adults, pain management is mainly based on so-called analgesic drugs, divided into three classes according to their potency. They range from paracetamol to morphine derivatives, including codeine. In case of pain, it is not recommended to take analgesics for more than five days without medical advice. But taking painkillers is often accompanied by certain undesirable side effects: nausea, drowsiness or constipation, for example.
An old story?
The management of pain could soon experience an upheaval. Researchers at the University of Warwick (UK) have discovered a promising new non-opioid painkiller. The latter, composed of BnOCPA (benzyloxy-cyclopentyladenosine), would be very effective in the fight against pain. And all this with reduced side effects and without the risk of addiction. The findings of their study were published in the journal NatureCommunications.
How can this improvement be explained? This medicine has a very selective action, unlike other products which act via proteins on the surface of cells activating adapter molecules called G proteins. It is the activation of these which can cause undesirable effects. And it is precisely on this point that the BnOCPA stands out. It activates only one type of G protein. Thanks to this, the risk of side effects is reduced. “We didn’t expect BnOCPA to behave any differently than other molecules in its class, but the more we looked at BnOCPA, the more we discovered properties that hadn’t been seen before and that could open up new areas of medicinal chemistry”, assures Professor Bruno Frenguelli, principal investigator of the project, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick. This drug could replace many painkillers currently on the market.
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Global support
The Dr Mark Wall, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, who led the research, also has high hopes for this discovery: “The selectivity and potency of BnOCPA makes it truly unique and we hope that ‘with further research it will be possible to generate powerful analgesics to help patients cope with chronic pain. »
Medication is not the only answer to pain relief. Depending on the intensity and location of the pain, you can also perform physical manipulations (physiotherapy or osteopathy, for example), apply heat or cold, use different massage techniques, follow cognitive therapies and behaviours, testing neurostimulation, practicing physical activity, etc. But, obviously, when the pain is disabling, persistent or alters the quality of life, it is essential to make an appointment with your doctor.