Hops open the way for pain relief.

What is it about?

This study explores how certain compounds found in hops and Cannabis, such as alpha humulene (AH), can inhibit pain through actions on the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel. TRPV1 channels are proteins present in sensory neurons, which function as detectors of stimuli allowing us to respond to compounds plants such as chili peppers, producing a burning or “hot” sensation. These proteins also detect other types of stimuli such as burning hot temperatures and compounds produced in the body during inflammation and disease, giving rise to pain. AH has been used in traditions topical preparations for hundreds of years to alleviate pain and inflammation. We focused on investigating whether AH could inhibit TRPV1-linked pain and the molecular mechanism by which this could be achieved. Our findings show that AH, a non-opioid compound, can inhibit TRPV1-dependent pain and does so by directly interacting with the TRPV1 protein.

Featured Image

Photo by Jan Piatkowski on Unsplash

Photo by Jan Piatkowski on Unsplash

Why is it important?

These findings have important implications in the treatment of certain types of pain. Many strategies to treat pain rely on the use of drugs that can produce addiction, which is a significant shortcoming of the use of these molecules. Understanding the details of the molecular mechanisms by AH, and other similar compounds, can decrease pain can lead to the generation of better therapies.

Perspectives