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Scientists Find New Painkiller From Saliva

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the hard-to-swallow dept.

dptalia writes "Scientists have found a new pain killer based on human saliva. Apparently 1 gram of the new drug provides as much pain blocking as 3 grams of morphine. The drug blocks the breakdown of the body's natural pain killing mechanism. Scientists say the molecule is simple and synthesis is expected to be simple."

4 of 398 comments (clear)

  1. Hold off on the stock buying by paiute · · Score: 4, Informative

    They isolated a peptide which inhibits two enzymes that chew up enkephalins, the body's natural pain killers. Inhibiting these makes the naturally-released enkephalins hang around longer. The problem is that peptide drugs have a checkered history. See the article linked below.

    http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/060586510 3v1

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  2. Milligrams, not grams. by Aryman · · Score: 4, Informative

    BBC got it right: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6142842.stm

  3. Re:Saliva? by The_Noid · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's because the salvia can't get inside the tooth, where your pain is. You should try drilling a hole in it, so the salvia can reach the pain...

  4. RTFA, please. by Dion · · Score: 4, Informative

    They didn't inject 3g of morphine in a human.

    They didn't even inject 3g of morphine in a rat.

    What they found was that 3 grams of morphine per kg body weight is about as potent as 1 gram of morphine per kg body weight of the new saliva substance.

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