why is it so hard to develop an analgesic that isn’t opiate-based?
In: Chemistry
Because discovering new chemicals that have an effect on pain is almost a random process.
The problem is when we do find such a chemical, the side effects of new drugs can be worse than opiates, or straight up lethal. So even when we do find such a chemical it may not be practical.
We take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for granted but it is kind of a miracle drug in that its side effects are very very mild while being an extremely effective, albeit mild, pain killer. It was discovered totally by accident. The only flaw with it is that larger doses are toxic and kill your liver preventing it from being useful for large amounts of pain.
Ibuprofen (Advil) was developed after decades of painstaking research.
Nitrous Oxide is well known as a pain reliever and anesthetic but its anesthetic qualities make it no good for dealing with day to day pain. It’s also an oxidizer making it extremely dangerous for fire.
Opiates and Aspirin are both derived from plants (Opium Poppies and Willow) that we have known have pain killing properties for millennia.
Cocaine similarly has been turned into a variety of analgesics like novacane, but have potentially nasty side effects if used daily.
The reason so many pain killers are derived from these plants is that researchers keep going back to the well as it were. Since the mechanisms that these drugs operate on are well understood it makes sense to research and develop chemicals that are similar but slightly different in the hopes that they will give favorable results.
We actually already have a potentially great alternative to Opiates that is being researched right now… cannabis.
The next major developments in pain relief will very likely come from the Marijuana plant.
Now that it is finally being decriminalized after more than a century doctors and researchers are discovering that individual compounds within the plant are actually incredibly good pain relievers with minimal side effects. It is possible to take these chemicals for pain relief without the unwanted side effects (ie getting high).
Cannaboids could become a very effective way to treat chronic pain and act as an alternative to highly addictive Opiods.
Unfortunately research into this is a century behind because of stigma associated with it, and the US Federal government in particular is very set against decriminalizing the plant because of its political use as a tool to arrest undesirables. (Thanks Nixon!)
It would be pretty ironic if the cure for the Opioid epidemic (addictive prescription medication) turns out to be the decriminalization of certain narcotics.
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