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Nature 449, 545-546 (4 October 2007) | doi:10.1038/449545a; Published online 3 October 2007
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Academic Anatomic Pathologist
- Mayo Clinic
- Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
Sr. Scientific Manager / Chief Scientific Manager- Discovery Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (MAP)
- Syngene International
- Bangalore, Karnataka 560099 India
Neuroscience: A local route to pain relief
Edwin W. McCleskey1
Abstract
Local anaesthetics stop pain, but block all other sensations too. In rats, one molecular delivery vehicle makes an unusual local anaesthetic specific for pain — provided a little spice is added to the mix first.
Medicine has no shortage of great anaesthetics: they have been making surgery tolerable by eliminating consciousness, or by blocking complete nerve systems, for 160 years. But what we do need more of are good analgesics: drugs that suppress pain without affecting any other sensation.
- Edwin W. McCleskey is at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, USA.
Email: mccleskeye@hhmi.org
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