O-Vanillin and RG-7112 are two intriguing medication candidates that may address persistent low back pain at its root by removing senescent cells, sometimes referred to as "zombie cells," from spinal discs, according to a recent preclinical study conducted by researchers at McGill University.
Key Highlights:
Focusing on the Source: The study examines how aging or injury causes senescent cells to accumulate in spinal discs, resulting in persistent pain and inflammation.
Together, we are stronger: Even while both medications had beneficial effects when taken separately, their combined effects were the most notable.
Effective Oral Delivery: When taken orally, the medications were able to reach the spinal discs, which are often a difficult location to treat, and assisted in reversing damage.
Promising Preclinical Results
The medications were tested on mice and demonstrated a significant reduction in pain and inflammation. After eight weeks of oral therapy, researchers saw not only symptom reduction but also evidence of disc regeneration.
"This could be a game changer," said Professor Lisbet Haglund, the study's senior author and co-director of the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at Montreal General Hospital. "Instead of masking the pain, we're directly addressing the cells that cause it."
"This could be a game changer," said Professor Lisbet Haglund, the study's senior author and co-director of the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at Montreal General Hospital. "Instead of masking the pain, we're directly addressing the cells that cause it."
The Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain at McGill conducted the study in partnership with the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC).
Surprising Role of a Natural Compound
Interestingly, o-Vanillin, a molecule generated from turmeric, was not initially a key component of the experiment. It was added as an exploratory measure because of its known anti-inflammatory properties. The findings revealed, for the first time, that o-Vanillin may successfully remove senescent cells from spinal tissue.
RG-7112, which was previously acknowledged for its involvement in cancer and osteoarthritis research, demonstrated high potential in this new environment. The two medications worked better together than they did separately.
RG-7112, which was previously acknowledged for its involvement in cancer and osteoarthritis research, demonstrated high potential in this new environment. The two medications worked better together than they did separately.
What’s Next?
Researchers are presently looking to optimize the formulation of o-Vanillin in order to boost its retention and effectiveness in the body. They also believe that this strategy could be applied to other senescent cell-related illnesses, such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
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