Chinese herbal compound relieves inflammatory and neuropathic pain

[H-KQGE]

Chinese herbal compound relieves inflammatory and neuropathic pain
UCI study also shows novel analgesic to be nonaddictive

Irvine, Calif., Jan. 2, 2014 — A compound derived from a traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been found effective at alleviating pain, pointing the way to a new nonaddictive analgesic for acute inflammatory and nerve pain, according to UC Irvine pharmacology researchers.

Working with Chinese scientists, Olivier Civelli and his UC Irvine colleagues isolated a compound called dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB) from the roots of the Corydalis yanhusuo plant. In tests on rodents, DHCB proved to diminish both inflammatory pain, which is associated with tissue damage and the infiltration of immune cells, and injury-induced neuropathic pain, which is caused by damage to the nervous system. This is important because there are no current adequate treatments for neuropathic pain.

Moreover, the researchers found that DHCB did not generate the tolerance seen with continued use of most conventional pain relievers, such as morphine.

“Today the pharmaceutical industry struggles to find new drugs. Yet for centuries people have used herbal remedies to address myriad health conditions, including pain. Our objective was to identify compounds in these herbal remedies that may help us discover new ways to treat health problems,” said Civelli, the Eric L. & Lila D. Nelson Chair in Neuropharmacology. “We’re excited that this one shows promise as an effective pharmaceutical. It also shows a different way to understand the pain mechanism.”

Study results appear in the Jan. 20 issue of Current Biology.

They are the product of a collaboration between two teams separated by the Pacific Ocean. As traditional Chinese medicine gains greater acceptance in Western medical practice, Xinmiao Liang at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China and his group have been working to create an “herbalome” of all the compounds in plant extracts that display pharmacological properties. The UC Irvine team suggested applying “reverse pharmacology” – a novel drug discovery approach that Civelli devised about 25 years ago – to the herbalome project.

Together they screened 10 traditional Chinese medicines known as analgesics, testing nearly 500 compounds for their pain-relief abilities. Only DHCB in corydalis induced a reproducible effect.

Corydalis is a flowering herbal plant that grows in Siberia, Northern China and Japan. People utilize its root extract to alleviate menstrual cramps, chest pain and abdominal pain. It’s been previously studied for its analgesic properties, but this is the first time DHCB has been identified, extracted and tested.

Chronic neuropathic pain affects more than 50 million Americans, yet management of this pain remains a major clinical challenge due to the poor results and severe side effects of conventional analgesics. Civelli said that drawing upon traditional Chinese medical-herbal products could lead to a breakthrough treatment for these patients.

DHCB needs to be evaluated for any toxicity before it can be developed as a drug. It’s also possible that if the compound is chemically modified, a more potent pharmaceutical may be found. While DHCB is not currently available, it is part of the Corydalis yanhusuo root or extracts that can be purchased in health stores or online.

Cynical me thinks that big pharma will (look to) have a field day with this.

 

[l apprenti de forgeron]

Cynical me thinks that big pharma will (look to) have a field day with this.

Probably. If it is the case, they keep for themselves the whole stock and then will give to people a mixed thing between something beneficial and venom, to kill them slowly and make them dependents of big pharma products. Like for example, what they have done with stevia (note in spanish):

http://es.sott.net/article/22073-Stevia-o-TRUVIA-el-engendro-de-Coca-Cola-y-un-nuevo-engano-de-la-industria-alimenticia

Stevia?? or TRUVIA, the spawn of Coca Cola and a new trick of the food industry

Immediately after the EU Parliament to authorize the sale of Stevia sweetener November this year 2011, all industries macro "food", by defining them in some way, have taken to the mad rush to get followers for their products made with Stevia, among the multitude of patients with diabetes, obesity, cholesterol, etc.., that they themselves have caused.

The example that most cries out to heaven, is the Ebro Sugar, Sugar and AB subsidiary of Associated British Foods, which marketed exclusively for Spain, sweetener Coca Cola and Cargill called "Truvia".

But Truvia, only 20% will be Stevia and the other 80% will be Erythritol (a polyol increases blood glucose of diabetic http://www.continents.com/diabetes29.htm) and natural flavors strangers, the absence of more information by the company itself, must be assumed to be added flavors addictive as we have already used in their products.

And in this Stevia 20%, 0% Stevioside, the only component of the Stevia sweetener with medicinal properties.

Ie Spanish Sugar will try to redeem himself from the thousands of deaths caused legally with refined sugars http://jimzall.mx.tripod.com/AZUCAR, also Coca Cola going to try to clean up their image too with their sodas cause with excess sugar, unhealthy obesities, diabetes and hyperactivity in children on a large scale...

...Under pressure of food and pharmaceutical (euphemistically, "lobbyists") mafia groups, the European Union has not allowed the marketing of the original Stevia is warranted, the Guarani Creole, genetically unmodified, in its natural state. That is was not legally authorized to sell, or to dry leaf teas, whole or unrefined Stevia sweeteners, with all its medicinal components.

Our European parliamentary ones and also the U.S., repeat history occurred with refined beet sugar and cane sugar, toxic by nature, but look in the book at the end of paragraph I leave, but with the added difficulty for Stevia concerning the sugar that may be integral sweeteners not commercialize it...

 

[Laurelayn]

It would be wonderful for my husband if they found something useful for neuropathy pain. he is already long addicted to the opiate pain reliever Norco with its perpetually attached dose of acetaminophen. and still has a LOT of pain.
For Stevia, I get powdered pure stevia from the health food store here in bulk. Have you tried to grow it? I have done so several times and had good success but only if I get started plants. I have yet to be able to start it from seed. it is notoriously difficult to start from seed.

Laurie