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The United States Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a new type of non-opioid painkiller, suzetrigne.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention There were 82,000 opioid-involved overdose deaths in 2022.
- Opioids - Opioids are a class of drugs that derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant.
- Some common opioids include oxycodone, morphine, codeine, heroin, and fentanyl.
- Prescription opioids are primarily used for pain relief, but they are quite addictive.
- They do so by getting attached to opioid receptors in the brain cells to release signals that block the perception of pain, and boost the feelings of pleasure or euphoria.
- Suzetrigne - Unlike opioids, which numb the sensation of pain in the brain, suzetrigne works by targeting pain signals before they reach the brain.
- Pain is essentially a signal from one’s body to the brain that something potentially harmful has happened or is happening to the body.
- It is meant to prompt a reaction where one avoids further damage.
- Working - Several body parts are involved in the sensation of pain.
- First are specialized nerve endings or ‘nocireceptors’ which are widely distributed across the body.
- Any tissue damage activates these receptors which send electrical signals through the spinal cord to the brain, which then interprets these as pain.
- Suzitrigne interrupts that path, so even though the tissue injury exists, the brain does not know.
- Since suzetrigne does not produce any sensation of pleasure or euphoria, experts believe that the drug could not create addiction or dependence among users.
- Dosage - Suzetrigne is a 50-milligram prescription pill that is consumed every 12 hours after a larger starter dose.
- The pill is given in two dosages. In trials, participants got an initial dose of 100 milligrams, followed by 50 milligrams every 12 hours.
Reference
The Indian Express | Suzetrigine
