La soluzione ai dolori cronici potrebbe essere stata trovata nel veleno dei ragni. Una parte della ricerca nel campo dell’algologia (ovvero la terapia del dolore) si dedica infatti all’analisi delle 45'000 specie di aracnidi, che uccidono la propria preda con sostanze che ne bloccano l’attività neurologica.
Fino ad ora solo lo 0,01% di questi composti è stato studiato in dettaglio, spiegano i ricercatori dell’Università del Queensland, in Australia, che hanno trovato un metodo per analizzare velocemente il veleno di questi animali.
Nelle 206 specie di ragni esaminati, hanno trovato nel 40% di loro almeno un composto capace di bloccare i segnali di dolore inviati al cervello e che potrebbe forse essere usato per creare potenti anestetici.
Gli esperti stimano che una persona su 5 soffra di dolori cronici (spesso avvertiti anche quando la loro causa non è più presente) e al giorno d’oggi esistono pochi trattamenti a lungo termine capaci di alleviarli. Contrastare questo tipo di condizioni costa, nei soli Stati Uniti, 600 miliardi di dollari annui.
reuters/ZZ
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