Compound discovered in snails could present an alternative to opioids

A compound found in marine snails could offer an alternative to opioids for pain relief, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Utah (UT, USA) have demonstrated the compound, termed RgIA4, acts on a pathway that is not associated with opioids and also has durable effects after it has been cleared from the body.  The severe side effects of opioids mean there a need for alternatives to relieve pain; the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (GA, USA) have warned that opioids are highly addictive, causing 91 American deaths per day. The new study, published recently in...