Safe, Non-opioid Based Solution for Chronic Abdominal Pain: Study Finds
A research team at the University of Vienna, led by medicinal chemist Markus Muttenthaler, has developed a new class of oral peptide therapeutic leads for treating chronic abdominal pain. This groundbreaking innovation offers a safe, non-opioid-based solution for conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which affect millions of people worldwide. The research results were recently published in the international edition of the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Use of opioid is associated with various side effects and addiction risk which has contributed to the ongoing global opioid crisis.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternatives that minimize these risks. This new therapeutic approach targets oxytocin receptors in the gut. Oxytocin is commonly known as the 'love hormone' because of its role in social bonding. Less well-known is that oxytocin can also affect pain perception. When the peptide hormone oxytocin binds to these receptors, it triggers a signal that reduces pain signals in the gut.
The advantage of this approach is that the effect is gut-specific, thus having a lower risk of side effects due to its non-systemic, gut-restricted action. Oxytocin itself cannot be taken orally because it is rapidly broken down in the gastrointestinal tract.
However, Prof. Muttenthaler's team has successfully created oxytocin compounds that are fully gut-stable yet can still potently and selectively activate the oxytocin receptor. This means these newly developed oxytocin-like peptides can be taken orally, allowing for convenient treatment for patients. This approach is especially innovative since most peptide drugs need to be injected as they are also quickly degraded in the gut.
Reference: https://medienportal.univie.ac.at/en/media/recent-press-releases/detailansicht-en/artikel/a-groundbreaking-new-approach-to-treating-chronic-abdominal-pain/
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