Good news for all women relieve menstrual pain

Here's good news for all women. In a breakthrough research, scientists claim to have developed an experimental new drug that may alleviate the cramping menstrual pain. The drug, better known by the code name VAIII913, is presently in phase II clinical trials. It is intended to aim at eliminating the cause of the pain and not merely the symptoms.

It is to be administered in a pill form, not as an injection.

Drug under scrutiny

Currently the drug is under scrutiny in the UK where it is been tested on a group of women with dysmenorrhea.

The researchers explained that the drug works by blocking the hormone vasopressin, which plays a key role in the contraction of the uterus while menstruation.

Increased levels of these hormones result in cramping pain during the condition.

Results of the phase II trials are in the pipeline and are expected to be released later this year.

If they turn out to be positive, then the drug will be available for commercial use within next four years, the researchers informed.

"We hope that the drug will provide a more effective treatment option for millions of women worldwide with this painful condition," said lead author of the study Andrzej R. Batt of the Vantia Ltd., the UK-based pharmaceutical company that is developing and testing the drug.

“Dysmenorrhoea not only diminishes the quality of life for millions of women, but also has a hidden, society-wide economic cost that involves an enormous number of days lost from work and school,” Batt said.

Details of this experimental new drug were presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) 239th National Meeting.

Existing treatments

Presently, pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and oral contraceptives are used as potential treatments to stop menstruation pain.

None of these treatments target the underlying cause of the condition, they just help in alleviating the symptoms.

Most of the women do not benefit from these treatments and are likely to suffer from unwanted side effects such as mood alteration, stomach upsets etc.

Menstrual pain

Menstrual cramps, also known as dysmenorrheal, affect 45 to 90 percent of women of child-bearing age. These cramps are caused by contractions in the uterus during menstruation.

Each month, the inner lining of the uterus builds up for a possible pregnancy. This process is known as ovulation. But when the female egg doesn’t receive male’s sperm after the ovulation period, the uterus starts contracting, resulting in shedding of the uterus lining.

The common symptoms of the condition include pain in abdomen and back, nausea, mood swings, vomiting, sweating, and dizziness.

Source: http://www.themedguru.com/20100325/newsfeature/new-drug-may-relieve-menstrual-pain-86133415.html