136. Overdose Stopping Compound, VR Haptic Hydrogel Skin, Fast Water-based Switch

<p><a href='https://newatlas.com/medical/p6as-block-effects-harmful-drugs/'>Experimental compound shown to block effects of multiple harmful drugs</a> | New Atlas (01:20)</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;"><a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naloxone'>Naloxone</a> is a medication used to reverse or reduce the effects of opioids, which is commonly used to counter decreased breathing in an opioid overdose.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">A new chemical shows promise for serving a similar role, but it also works on non-opioid drugs.<ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Known as Pillar[6]MaxQ (P6AS)</li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">It was developed at the University of Maryland, and it was recently tested on lab animals for the first time.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Once P6AS is injected into the bloodstream, it binds with the molecules of certain other compounds and sequesters them into its central cavity, where they're surrounded by an outer layer of water.<ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Altering the bound compound’s chemical, physical and biological qualities.<ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Resulting in blocking their effects on the body.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">In the mice model tests, P6AS proved to be highly effective at mitigating the effects of fentanyl – which is an opioid – but also on methamphetamine, which is not.<ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Additionally it showed to do well at neutralizing non-opioid drugs such as PCP, ecstasy and mephedrone.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Captured drug molecules were subsequently passed in the urine</li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">It should be noted that in the case of methamphetamine dosing, P6AS had to be injected within five minutes in order to be effective.<ul><li style="font-weight:400;"> Would likely be too small of a window in the real world</li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">The scientists are now working on lengthening those times, for opioids and non-opioids alike. <ul><l