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'Mint oil compound' could treat chronic pain23 August 2006 Patients suffering from arthritis and nerve damage could benefit from a new form of pain relief inspired by ancient Greek and Chinese herbal remedies. Ancient scholars used mint oil, and cooled inflamed skin and joints, often dipping affected areas into cold water to reduce swelling and pain. However, scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed a synthetic alternative to mint oil and cool water which, when applied to the skin, has a dramatic pain-killing effect. And the compounds, which are applied externally to the skin, are also likely to have few side-effects making them ideal for chronic pain patients, say researchers. The scientists, writing in the journal Current Biology, explain that they have found that the protein TRPM8, which is capable of "binding" with the chemicals in the compound, is activated by cooling temperatures. TRPM8 then blocks the "pain messages" sent to the brain. Professor Susan Fleetwood-Walker, who jointly led the study with Dr Rory Mitchell, said: "This discovery of the pain-relieving properties of mint oil and related compounds has great potential for alleviating the suffering of millions of chronic pain patients, including those with arthritis or those who have had nerve damage or spinal injury following major accidents. "Our discovery means that patients can be given low doses of a powerful pain killer, delivered through the skin, without side effects. We hope clinical trials on the compounds will begin within the year." More information
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