Opioid Analgesics Flashcards
define narcotic
“sleep-inducing”
better legal than medical term
define opiate
derived from opium
ie) morphine or codeine
define opioid
compound with pharmacology similar to morphine
ie) synthetic drugs or endogenous opioid ligands
define analgesic
pain-relieving
define endogenous opioids
naturally occurring opioids that mimic the actions of exogenous opiates in the brain and periphery
what three genes are endogenous opioids made from
POMC (pro-opio-melano-cortin gene)
Pro-enkephalin gene
Pro-dynorphin gene
what active opioid product does the POMC gene make
B-endorphin
what active opioid product does the pro-enkephalin gene make
met-enkephalin and leu-enkephalin
what active opioid product does the pro-dynorphin gene make
dynorphin-A (also dynorphin-B, neo-endorphins, and leu-enkephalin)
what endogenous opioid binds Mu opioid receptor
B-endorphin and enkephalins
what endogenous opioid binds Delta opioid receptor
mostly enkephalins and some B-endorphin
what endogenous opioid binds Kappa opioid receptor
dynorphin
where are the endogenous opioids working
at descending inhibitory pathway
have inhibitory effect on C pain fibers
what type of receptors are the opioid receptors? ionotropic? muscarinic/metabotropic?
muscarinic/metabotropic
ALL G-PROTEIN-COUPLED
of the three opioid receptors which is the major one and what are its effects
Mu opioid receptor
analgesia, respiratory depression, euphoria, dependence ie) drug addiction
what is an important non-opioid receptor
DM receptor
mediates antitussive effects (anti-cough)
therapeutic effects of opioids
analgesia
antitussive
antidiarrheal
(also mood enhancement and relief of acute pulmonary edema)
Of the three types of pain which does opioids not work well on
neuropathic pain
what is a problem with the antidiarrheal therapeutic effect of opioids
constipation
general effects of opioid analgesia
inc pain threshold (discriminative)
inc pain tolerance (affective/emotional)
selective for analgesia
what general effects of opioid analgesia is unique compared to local anesthetics
inc pain tolerance (local anesthetics don’t do that, they just do the discriminative inc pain threshold) and selective for analgesia (local anesthetics are not selective, they affect other somatosensory modalities as well)
sites of action for opioid analgesia
opioid receptors at C fibers/ascending pain pathways and descending pain inhibitory pathways and cerebral cortex
major receptor of analgesic action
Mu opioid receptor with contribution from Delta opioid receptor
how does the analgesic action if opioids work at the ascending pathway
1) activate Mu opioid receptors on C fibers which blocks opening of Ca channels so NTs/sub P not released
2) activate Mu opioid receptors on spinothalamic neuron enhancing the opening of K+ channels leading to hyperpolarization
(slide 15)
what type of pain does opioid analgesia work on
best agains slow pain/C fiber pain (dull, burning, aching, constant) less effective against fast pain/A-delta fibers (sharp, intense, stinging intermittent pain)
- *good against nociceptive and inflammatory pain
- **bad against neuropathic pain
what is an example of neuropathic pain
postherpetic neuralgia resulting from shingles