Molecule from centipede venom may fight chronic pain

A molecule in centipede venom could form the basis of a new drug that fights pain as effectively as morphine, says a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Australian and Chinese researchers studied the venom of the Chinese red-headed centipede in an effort to bring hope to millions of people whose lives are blighted by chronic pain.

Prof Glenn King, who led the work, said the molecule they found blocked the Nav1.7 channel in pain-sensing nerves.

“People without a functioning Nav1.7 channel cannot feel pain, so it is likely that molecules that can block this channel will be powerful painkillers,” he says.

“We recently demonstrated that the venom of the Chinese red-headed centipede was rich in molecules that can alter the function of nerve channels, so we decided to explore this venom to see if there was a molecule that could block Nav1.7.

“The molecule we found selectively targets this pain channel, which is crucial as closely related channels play critical roles in controlling the heart and muscles.”

A number of drugs derived from venom are already on the market and more are in the pipeline.

“Our study suggests that centipede venoms, which to date have been largely unstudied, might provide a new source of potential drugs for treating chronic pain and other conditions,” Prof King concludes.