Morphine? Nope. Centipede venom a much less addictive way to kill pain, says Chinese team after some impressive reverse-engineering
Scientists say a compound in the Chinese red-headed centipede can turn pain on and off like a switch, and it isn’t addictive like morphine.
Chinese scientists have found a new chemical compound in the venom of a centipede native to China that can act as a painkiller with no negative side effects like those associated with morphine.
The discovery could potentially help a country’s military reduce its reliance on morphine for battleground injuries, or even create an army of soldiers with the ability to fight on after sustaining wounds in combat, pundits say.
“It is completely different from morphine,” said Professor Lai Ren, the lead scientist of the study.
“Morphine is only intended for emergency use. It has many side effects and can lead to addiction over the longer-term,” added Lai, who works with the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Kunming Institute of Zoology in southern Yunnan province.
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Lai said the ultimate goal of their research was to develop a painkiller for long-term use that does not compromise the health of the subject. He said the centipede’s venom serves as a beacon of hope in this quest.