Today's painkillers are effective enough at doing their job, but carry the risk of side effects and negative health impacts – a problem that a new study tackles by homing in on the pain relief part in mice and lab-grown cells.

Technically, these painkillers are known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , or NSAIDs. They work by blocking the production of prostaglandins , chemicals released by the immune system that trigger inflammation and pain, as a way of repairing damage to the body and signaling an emergency situation.

In this study, led by pharmacologist Romina Nassini from the University of Florence in Italy, mouse models and human cells were manipulated and examined to identify the cell receptors activated by prostaglandins, and in particular, those responsible for pain

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