Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose if administered in time.
According to the United States Surgeon General, VADM Jerome Adams, everyone who overdoses on opioids needs naloxone. In 2017, 47,600 people died from an overdose of opioids, including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and fentanyl.
If someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, it is important to call an ambulance and tell the crew everything known about the drugs taken, as this could save their life.
Naloxone is a potentially life-saving solution when administered quickly in the event of an opioid overdose. But it only works on Opioid Drugs.
A new drug could work on opioid and non-opioid drugs.
Pillar[6]MaxQ (P6AS), an experimental compound developed at the University of Maryland, has been tested on lab animals and shown promise for blocking the effects of both opioids and non-opioid drugs
.In tests performed on lab mice, P6AS was found to be highly effective at neutralizing drugs such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, PCP, ecstasy, and mephedrone.
Fentanyl is an opioid – but methamphetamine is not. And it works on other non-opioid drugs such as PCP, ecstasy, and mephedrone.
The chemical works by binding to these molecules and sequestering them into its central cavity, where they are surrounded by an outer layer of water, thus altering their chemical and biological properties.
While further research is needed to lengthen the window of effectiveness, this breakthrough could provide an important tool in the fight against drug overdoses.
Read the paper in the journal Chem > Pillar[6]MaxQ: A potent supramolecular host for in vivo sequestration of methamphetamine and fentanyl
