Overview

• In a paper published in PNAS, Hebrew University researchers demonstrated that acetaminophen is metabolized into AM404 directly in peripheral pain neurons.
• AM404 then binds to and inhibits voltage-gated sodium channels in nociceptors to block pain signals before they reach the brain.
• This peripheral mechanism contradicts the long-held view that acetaminophen’s pain-relief effect is confined to the brain and spinal cord.
• Selective targeting of pain neurons by AM404 may avoid the side effects of traditional local anesthetics, such as numbness and muscle weakness.
• Led by Profs. Alexander Binshtok and Avi Priel, the research opens new avenues for developing safer, more precise analgesics based on AM404’s action.