Tick Saliva Provides Relief from Pain and Itch

A protein found in tick saliva could be turned into a drug that eases chronic pain and itching in people, according to research published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Votucalis is derived from the saliva of the brown-ear tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. It secretes the protein into their host when feeding so the host is unaware that they have been bitten.

‘The anti-itch and pain relief potential of tick saliva makes it a viable alternative to painkillers.’

It acts as a biologic drug that works by binding histamine, and prevents the activation of its four cell surface receptors resulting in reduced itch or chronic pain responses.

Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, arthritis, diabetes, sciatica, and back injuries are the conditions that cause pain or itching.

Persistent or chronic pain is a huge global health challenge, which affects over 20 percent of the population. It is the single biggest reason that people in the UK visit their doctor and it is recognized as a priority disease by the World Health Organisation.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended that current pain medications should not be prescribed to newly diagnosed patients, apart from cancer sufferers. So, there is an urgent need to develop a new, long-lasting medication that is both effective and safe to use.

Votucalis does not enter the brain, which means it is not addictive and less likely to cause side effects . It can be manufactured in large amounts using recombinant methods.

"Amazingly, a protein found in the saliva of this tiny creature could prevent chronic pain and itching in people", said Study co-author Dr. Paul Chazot, in the Department of Biosciences, Durham University, UK.

Votucalis has already been tested in humans with other conditions, including conjunctivitis, without major side effects, so the potential for this to be developed into a drug to tackle chronic pain and itching is there.

Researchers say the next step towards clinical testing is to develop a delivery system to effectively administer the drug at the site of itch and pain.



Source: Medindia