從古希臘和古中國的治療方法得到的靈感而產(chǎn)生的一種新治療方法可以減輕數(shù)百萬關節(jié)炎患者和神經(jīng)損傷患者的痛苦，這是一項由愛丁堡大學最新研究報道的成果,。
古希臘學者希波克拉底（Hippocrates）利用冷凍皮膚的方法治療扭傷,、關節(jié)疼痛和關節(jié)炎；而中醫(yī)療法則利用薄荷油來治療這些疾病,。而現(xiàn)在科學家們發(fā)現(xiàn)了與薄荷油具有相同性質的致冷化學物具有戲劇性的止痛效果,，并且使用時僅需要在皮膚上應用較少的劑量。與傳統(tǒng)的止痛藥不一樣,，因為這些化合物為皮膚外用型,，所以具有較小的毒副作用。這對于慢性疼痛病人來說無疑是一種理想的藥物,，因為傳統(tǒng)的止痛藥對他們來說根本不起作用,。
該愛丁堡大學的研究開始時精確地分析薄荷油里的成分是怎樣工作的。他們在最近在人類皮膚中的少量神經(jīng)細胞發(fā)現(xiàn)的受體（一種能與薄荷油成分結合的蛋白）上展開研究,?？茖W家們發(fā)現(xiàn)這種叫做TRPM8的受體被致冷的化學物質或者冷溫激活，抑制“疼痛信息”從痛處傳送到大腦中去,，該新研究就是利用了這種身體自身的機制來止痛,。
假如希波克拉底還在世的話，該發(fā)現(xiàn)無疑會引起的興趣,，在寫于公元前5世紀的他的一本經(jīng)典格言書里,，他說道：“關節(jié)腫痛、痛風和扭傷可以用冷水來減輕痛苦和消腫,；起到中等程度麻痹的作用去除疼痛,。”
Susan Fleetwood-Walker教授和Rory Mitchell領導了該研究項目，她說：“這個關于薄荷油和相關成分具有止痛作用的發(fā)現(xiàn)對許多慢性疼痛患者來說具有潛在的治療意義,，其中包括關節(jié)炎患者,、神經(jīng)損傷患者和意外事故中的脊骨損傷患者等。傳統(tǒng)的止痛藥如嗎啡對于慢性疼痛來說通常不起作用,。”
“我們的發(fā)現(xiàn)意味著病人只需在皮膚上使用小劑量的這些化學物就能減輕痛苦,，并且沒有副作用。我們希望在年內能進行這些化學物的臨床實驗,。”
英文原文：
'Mint' pain killer takes leaf out of ancient medical texts
A new synthetic treatment inspired by ancient Greek and Chinese remedies could offer pain relief to millions of patients with arthritis and nerve damage, a new University of Edinburgh study suggests.
The Greek scholar Hippocrates treated sprains, joint pains and inflammation by cooling the skin, and traditional Chinese remedies used mint oil to the same end. Now scientists have discovered that cooling chemicals which have the same properties as mint oil have a dramatic pain-killing effect when applied in small doses to the skin. Unlike conventional pain killers, these compounds are likely to have minimal toxic side-effects, especially because they are applied externally to the skin. This should mean they are ideal for chronic pain patients for whom conventional pain killers often do not work.
The Edinburgh study sets out exactly how the 'mint oil' compounds (and related more powerful chemicals) work. They act through a recently discovered receptor (a protein which is capable of binding with these chemicals) which is found in a small percentage of nerve cells in the human skin. The scientists have found that when this receptor, called TRPM8, is activated by the cooling chemicals or cool temperatures, it inhibits the 'pain messages' being sent from the locality of the pain to the brain. Thus, the new treatment makes good use of the body's own mechanisms for killing pain.
The findings would doubtless have been of interest to Hippocrates, the founding father of modern medicine. Writing in the fifth century BC, in chapter 5 of his classic text, Aphorisms, he stated: "Swellings and pains in the joints, ulceration, those of a gouty nature, and sprains, are generally improved by a copious affusion of cold water, which reduces the swelling, and removes the pain; for a moderate degree of numbness removes pain."
Professor Susan Fleetwood-Walker, who jointly led the study with Dr Rory Mitchell, says:
"This discovery of the pain-relieving properties of mint oil and related compounds has great potential for alleviating the suffering of millions of chronic pain patients, including those with arthritis or those who have had nerve damage or spinal injury following major accidents. Conventional painkillers such as morphine are often ineffective in cases of chronic pain, and simply lowering the temperature of the skin is too inexact."
"Our discovery means that patients can be given low doses of a powerful pain killer, delivered through the skin, without side effects. We hope clinical trials on the compounds will begin within the year."
