Discovery could lead to new immune-response drugs for allergies, illnesses and injuries

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Improved spinal cord injury & inflammation in mice

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Medical news November 17, 2009, announced that “UC Irvine pharmacology researchers have discovered a way to boost levels of a natural body fat that helps decrease inflammation, pointing to possible new treatments for allergies, illnesses and injuries related to the immune system.”

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“For decades, it has been known that this fat, called palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), is a potent anti-inflammatory substance that reduces both allergic symptoms and occurrences of rheumatic fever, but researchers understood little about how PEA works.”

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I”n a study appearing online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Daniele Piomelli, the Louise Turner Arnold Chair in Neurosciences at UCI, and colleagues found that levels of PEA are tightly regulated by immune system cells. In turn, PEA helps control the activity of these cells, which are called into action to fight infection, disease and injury in the body.”

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They found a protein, an enzyme that breaks down molecules that control cell inflammation and deactivates PEA. They then created a novel compound that prevents the breakdown.

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“When given to rodents, the compound increased the levels of PEA in their immune cells and reduced the amount of inflammation elicited by an inflammatory substance. Furthermore, when administered to the spinal cords of mice after spinal cord injury, the compound decreased inflammation associated with the trauma and improved the recovery of motor function.”

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UCI is collaborating with the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa to develop a range of immune-response drugs. 

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Source: University of California – Irvine

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Refer an earlier post on PEA here.

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Palmitoylethanolamide is sold as PeaPure, a food supplement, available from the Netherlands and imported by a local pharmacy here. I have submitted a paper for publication on the treatment of vulvodynia and proctodynia with PeaPure and a topical cream. That source will be posted once it is accepted.

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I have been seeing some exciting responses to treatment of intractable pain with PeaPure. I invite others who use it to add comments below so that we may all learn from your experience.

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It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

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For My Home Page, click here:  Welcome to my Weblog on Pain Management!

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