• Scorpion Venom Could Make a Safe Alternative to Morphine
    18 replies, posted
[QUOTE] Scorpion venom and intense pain generally go hand in hand, but a group of researchers at Tel Aviv University are rethinking that relationship, using a better understanding of the peptide toxins found in scorpions' pain-inducing payloads to create a breed of non-addictive, side effect-free painkillers. Pain is communicated to the brain via a certain type of sodium channel embedded in our nervous and muscular systems. Understanding the way these sodium channels convey the sensation of pain from certain parts of the body to the brain is key to manipulating these signals to reduce or eliminate feelings of pain. Figure out how to manipulate those mechanisms, and we could be on the way to a much less painful future. Luckily for us, scorpions -- friendly little critters that they are -- have spent the past few million years evolving sophisticated toxins that can really turn up the level of excruciation. By modifying those same molecules, researchers believe they can customize compounds that are highly effective at numbing specific kinds of pain in specific parts of the body. What's more, because these compounds are natural and tailor-tweaked, they can be engineered to perform without side effects like addiction or the state of lovely but intoxicating loopiness induced by other painkilling compounds like morphine. Therein lies the benefit, of course; anyone who's had wisdom teeth pulled or dealt with a serious ligament tear knows that a bottle of conventional pain meds can get the job done, but the side effects can be mentally impairing and even dangerous should one become chemically dependent. With bio-mimicking pain compounds, doctors could treat chronic discomfort without fearing that patients might end up in the streets trying to score that next hit of scorpion.[/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-02/meds-derived-scorpion-venom-could-take-sting-out-pain-no-side-effects[/url]
But opiate addictions are fun! So TL;DR it sounds like a reverse-neurotoxin. Hopefully it can be nearly as effective as opiates.
I've had morphine and I can assure you it is perfectly safe
Well what do you know
Morphine will feel better.
[QUOTE=TH89;20389142]I've had morphine and I can assure you it is perfectly safe[/QUOTE] That's what the soldiers in Vietnam thought. And at tha end of the war 25% of them were addicts.
[quote]or the state of lovely but intoxicating loopiness induced by other painkilling compounds like morphine.[/quote] but that's the best part.
[QUOTE=Killuah;20389221]That's what the soldiers in Vietnam thought. And at tha end of the war 25% of them were addicts.[/QUOTE] Either morphine is goddamn addicting or those who came back from 'nam were like swiss cheese
[QUOTE=TH89;20389142]I've had morphine and I can assure you it is perfectly safe[/QUOTE] There are people out there with allergies who still need morphine. Hell, I'm allergic to the "wonder drug" penicillin, and so are a lot of other people.
good to hear. I myself never became addicted to morphine after my surgery for a broken hand, however there were many stories I heard about people doing so. Hell the nurse who administered it told me not to ask for anymore after my first shot fearing I would get addicted.
[QUOTE=TH89;20389142]I've had morphine and I can assure you it is perfectly safe[/QUOTE] Until you run out of it and are holding your doctor hostage to cover your addiction to it.
Morphine doesn't seem to have much affect on me. A few years ago I had appendicitis and had to get my appendix taken out and they gave me some morphine tablets. I took them for like two days and they had no effect whatsoever.
[QUOTE=darkrei9n;20389903]Until you run out of it and are holding your doctor hostage to cover your addiction to it.[/QUOTE] That's the best part
When I was in the hospital after my car crash, the nurses would always ask me if I needed pain meds(ie a shot of morphine). I always said no, although I was hurting like a mofo. They'd always say the same thing "It's okay, you won't get addicted." I didn't have the heart to tell them it wasn't the fear of addiction that made me act so macho, it was my fear of needles! My point being that unless this new treatment does not involve the use of needles, it's FUCKIN' WORTHLESS TO ME!
That's great, I doubt it'll be used though. There have been tons of scientific discoveries that are ignored, probably because the current methods make more profit.
[QUOTE=franz;20390992]That's great, I doubt it'll be used though. There have been tons of scientific discoveries that are ignored, probably because the current methods make more profit.[/QUOTE] Pass the news along! Get the word out then!
[QUOTE=franz;20390992]That's great, I doubt it'll be used though. There have been tons of scientific discoveries that are ignored, probably because the current methods make more profit.[/QUOTE] Or because they are impractical? [editline]09:43PM[/editline] At the end of the day, everything comes down to money. Ethics, environment and personal well-being almost always come second.
And Scorpion Venom is safer than other drugs. Surprise surprise.
They are similar in the fact that they get rid of pain.
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