(373) Muscarinic M4 Positive Allosteric Modulators are Antinociceptive in Mouse Inflammatory Pain Models

The chronic pain and opioid epidemics have created an urgent need for effective, non-opioid analgesics. There is considerable evidence that the cholinergic system could be a promising target for novel drugs. Cholinesterase inhibitors and nonspecific muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonists are clearly antinociceptive in humans and animal models, but adverse parasympathetic side effects limit clinical utility. The mAChR family includes five subtypes (M1-M5) with different physiologic roles.   Prior studies indicate that the M2 and M4 subtypes mediate analgesia, while the M2 and M3 subtypes mediate most deleterious side effects.
Source: The Journal of Pain - Category: Materials Science Authors: Source Type: research