[tsol]

Surprised this comment is rather downvoted. This view isn't uncommon among pain patients-- such alternatives to opioids are being researched and an article like this appears every so often, but the miracle hasn't panned out. Ziconotide, based on a toxin from a sea snail, is one of the few that have made it through the development process but is still extremely specialized. While it's 1000 times as strong as morphine and non- addictive, there are other considerations with such drugs. Dosing intravenously can cause extremely strong side effects, so the drug is dosed through a pump in the body directly into the spinal fluid. Obviously such an implant must be surgically installed into the patients spine first, which comes with risks of its own. The drug also can cause extreme neurological side effects such as hallucinations, delusions, and suicidal thoughts. For this reason it's contraindicated in those with a history of psychosis, bipolar disorder, or depression. For all these reasons, though it's available it's used as a drug of last resort. Oh and it's quite expensive as well, so it effectively is only available to those who can afford expensive medical treatments. Unfortunately it will still be some time before there are viable alternatives for moderate to severe pain

[goldenkey]

Fascinating peptide, and from snail toxins, amazing, thank you for illuminating it. Apparently metabolism isn't the issue for oral use of Ziconotide, the blood brain barrier is. Researchers are currently working on using viral nanocontainers to transport it past the BBB [1] so that it can be taken less invasively. I find it fascinating that it works on blocking voltage-dependent calcium channels [2], not by agonizing opioid receptors.

It intrigues me that so many natural venoms, toxins, and poisons have analgesic agents as part of their chemistry. What do you think the reason for this is? Would a prey that doesn't realize it is in pain, perhaps struggle and flee less? If this is the case, shouldn't some of these predators have evolved to have pleasurable agents like opioids in their toxins? I suppose it might be hard for their own body to not be affected by it though? I'm gonna have to look into this topic some more. It's really fascinating to see divergent evolution hitting the same motifs.

I'm used to being downvoted, and even flagged. I say things that are deemed too controversial for the average automaton that inhabits HN. Not much can be done, so I've just come to embrace the hate. I'm not a troll but in order to deal with the constant attacks against the truth, one has to develop thick skin and perhaps even some enjoyment over knowing that people are so disturbed and shaken by foreign facts that they instinctively try to bury the newfound knowledge. Such is humanity, and HN has been growing and becoming more and more averse to truth. I hope it does not tip too far, but if it does I'm sure another community will fill the void. All we can do is speak our peace and live to fight another day.

[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12497

[2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conotoxin