(Newswire.net — March 21, 2014) Denver, Colorado — Oliver Civelli and his UC Irvine colleagues have researched on a Chinese herb working alongside with Chinese scientists. The researchers have isolated a compound from the roots of Corydalis yanhusuo. The compound is dehydrocorybulbine (DCHB).
It has been found out after the test that this compound DCHB done on lab rats that it effects on diminishing nerve and inflammatory pain. These pains which are associated with tissue damages and infiltration of immune cells.
In addition to the results of the research, DCHB has been found not having tolerance when used continuously unlike morphine.
Civelli said, “Today the pharmaceutical industry struggles to find new drugs. Yet for centuries people have used herbal remedies to address myriad health conditions, including pain. Our objective was to identify compounds in these herbal remedies that may help us discover new ways to treat health problems.”
He added that this discovery shows a promise in the pharmaceutical and an inner understanding on the pain mechanism.
Since traditional Chinese medicine has already been accepted in the Western medical practice, the two groups of researchers have also screened other 10 traditional Chinese Medicines. These plants are tested for pain-relief properties and as shown in the results, the Corydalis yanhusuo have induced a reproducible effect.
Neuropathic pain affects more than 50 million Americans and pain management has been a challenge; even the use of conventional analgesics results to severe side effects.
The study still continues since DCHB needs to be evaluated for toxicity before it can be produced as a drug.