The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7486 p76
26 January 2008

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Pain relief without sedation

New targets for drugs that relieve pain without producing unwanted sedation or impairing motor function have been identified (Nature 2008;451:330).

Researchers from Germany, Switzerland and the US showed that specific subunits of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors could be selectively activated. This activation was highly effective against inflammatory and neuropathic pain in mice and did not lead to the development of tolerance.

The researchers suggest that their results could provide a rational basis for the development of new drugs for the treatment of chronic pain.