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[ GRANDCHALLENGES ]

Seeing Green, Feeling Relief

New ways to manage chronic pain
by Tim Vanderpool

hen people are mad, they’re said to degree in biochemistry, a master’s and Participants in one
W“see red.” But when they’re in pain doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology,
from chronic maladies such as migraines or and, finally, a medical degree. Today,
fibromyalgia, Mohab Ibrahim ’98 ’02 ’04 ’08 Ibrahim’s work is benefiting Arizonans study ‘didn’t even
thinks they should be seeing green. who participate in his research. Soon, it
Ibrahim is the director of the may lessen the nation’s reliance on highly return the lights we
Comprehensive Pain Management Clinic at addictive opioid pain relievers.
Banner – University Medical Center South, Ibrahim discovered green therapy almost gave them.’
and his surprising research shows that by accident, when his brother complained
simple exposure to the color green through of a headache. Ibrahim suggested over-the-
special lights offers significant relief to counter medications such as ibuprofen or rats exposed to uncomfortable levels of
chronic pain sufferers. While the reason aspirin. His brother, however, preferred to heat felt far less pain when green lights
remains a mystery, the results are very just sit beneath a tree, where he always found glowed in their cages. The lights seemed
promising. Participants in one study “didn’t relief. Ibrahim was intrigued. So when he had so beneficial that Ibrahim began using
even return the lights we gave them,” he a headache himself, he made a beeline for the them with people. After staring at LED
says, “because they were so happy with the nearest park. And sure enough, he was soon lights for up to two hours a day, some
results.” feeling better. But was it just a coincidence? study participants said their pain had
You could call it one more bright point To find out, he turned to the lab. He been reduced by at least 50 percent.
in the career of this four-time University of was joined by UA pharmacology professor The mechanism of green-light-
Arizona alumnus, who earned a bachelor’s Rajesh Khanna; together, they found that induced pain relief remains unknown;
however, collaborative work at Ibrahim
and Khanna’s labs produced some
interesting preliminary results. No one
knows what the evolutionary advantage
is of having green light as a potent pain
reliever, but Ibrahim believes it could
be related to our associations with lush,
green landscapes signifying peace and
tranquility.
Regardless, the new therapy has
illuminated a possible cost-effective
alternative for pain sufferers. “It’s cheap,
it’s effective and it has practically no side
effects,” he says. And it may even become
a fashion statement, as Ibrahim plans
in the future to fit pain sufferers with
contact lenses colored — you guessed it
— green.

Many people helped advance this project,
including UA faculty members Rajesh
Khanna, Phil Malan, Frank Porreca, Todd
Vanderah, Amol Patwardhan and May
Khanna, and lab technicians Kerry Gilbraith
Mohab Ibrahim / Chris Richards photo and Jessica Hanson.

12 ARIZONA ALUMNI MAGAZINE