Opioids Flashcards
Opiate
a compound that is structurally related to products found in opium
-morphine, codeine etc
Opioid and endogenous opioid
any agent regardless of structure, that has the functional and pharmacological properties of an opiate
-endogenous opioids: naturally occurring ligands for opioid receptors
Narcotic
a drug that produces a stuporous sleep-like state, may or may not be analgesic. Includes opioid and some other abused drugs
Pain
A subjective symptom or unpleasant sensory or emotional experience that is typically associated with actual or potential tissue damage from mechanical or thermal causes or disease
Analgesia
a state in which no pain is felt despite the presence of normally painful stimuli
Analgesics
drugs that alleviate pain without impairing other sensory modalities, in contrast to anesthetics
Endorphins
- Endogenous opioid peptide
- precursor is POMC
- beta-endorphin in hypothalamus and nucleus tractus solitarius
- also in anterior pituitary: co-released with aCTH during stress
Enkephalins
- endogenous opioid peptide
- precursor proenkephalin
- leucine and methionin enkephalins have wide CNS distribution
- *especially in interneurons, including those in pain pathways
- peripheral site include adrenal medulla, nerve plexuses and exocrine glands of stomach and intestine
Dynorphins
- endogenous opioid peptide
- precursor prodynorphin
- Dynorphin A, co-localized with vasopressin in magnocellular cells of hypothalamus and posterior pituitary
- shorter dynorphins have wide CNS distribution; some are associated with pain pathways, especially in spinal cord
What receptors is beta endorphin effective on
Mu and Delta
What receptors is Met-enkephalin effective on
Mu and Delta
Leu- enkephalin effective on which receptors
Mu and Delta
what receptors is Dynorphin A effective on
Mu and Kappa
What receptors is Dynorphin B effective on
Mu an Delta and Kappa (mostly Kappa)
What receptors is alpha-Neoendorphin effective on
Mu, Delta, Kappa ( mostly kappa)
What receptors is Endorphin-1/2 effective on
Mu
What do plasma opioid peptide amount refelct
-plasma opioid peptides reflect release from secretory systems such as the pituitary and the adrenals; plasma levels do not reflect neuraxial release
WHat do brain/spinal cord/CSF levels of opioids reflect
levels of pepties in brain/spinal cord and in CSF arise from neuraxial systems NOT from peripheral systems. so it does reflect neuraxial release
Mu receptor
- supraspinal and spinal analgesia
- slowed GI transit
- modulation of hormone release
Delta Receptor
- supraspinal and spinal analgesia
- modulation of hormone and neurotransmitter release
Kappa Receptor
- supraspinal and spinal analgesia
- Psychotomimetic effects
- Slowed GI transit
Describe the distribution of opioid receptors in the body
- wide distribution in brain and periphery
- neuronal cell soma and axon terminals
- macrophage cell types (ex: microglia)
- astrocytes
- enteric nervous system
What are opioid drugs used for
- analgesi
- cough suppression
- antidiarrheal/constipation
- respiratory depression
- peripheral vasodilation, reduced peripheral resistance, inhibition of baroreceptor reflexes
- nausea
- pupillary constriction: miosis
- sedation
- euphoria
- increased biliary pressure
general information on the ascending pain pathways (fibers involved)
- noxious stimuli activate nociceptors-pain receptors
- A-delta fibers ( myelinated) mediate sharp localized pain to dorsal horn of spinal cord (somatic pain and lamina I-glutamate)
- C fibers (unmyelinated) mediate dull diffuse, aching, or burning pain (visceral or neuropathic pain, Lamina II: glutamate and substance P)
Ascending pain pathway
- 2nd order neurons in spinothalamic tract
- thalamus, limbic system, somatosensory and association cortex (emotional cortex)
descending pain pathways
- periaqueductal gray (midbrain) and rostro-ventral medulla to dorsal horn
- via dorsolateral funiculus
- release NE, 5-HT, enkephalin
- inhibit activity of ascending pain pathways
Mechanisms of Mu Opioid receptor (MOR) Induced Analgesia
- suprspinal
- sinal cord
- peripheral
- supraspinal
- disinhibition of periaqueductal gray output neruons
- spinal cord
- pre and post synaptic effects on ascending pathway
- peripheral
- specific to inflammatory pain
- normalizes hyperalgesia
Opioid and cough suppression
- direct actions on medullary cough center
- may not be mediated by opioid receptors
- codeine and hydrocodeine
- independent of respiratory suppression
- stimulation of mechano-or chemoreceptors (throat/respiratory passages)
- cough center in medulla
- efferent transmission to diaphragm, intercostal muscles and lungs
Opioids and antidiarrheal/constipation
opioid receptors are densely distributed in enteric neurons in the myenteric and submucosal plexi and on a variety of secretory cells
-opioids decrease gastric emptying
Opioids and respiratory depression
- Most serious side effect
- mechanism:
- decreased sensitivity of brainstem chemoreceptors to CO2
- direct depressant effect on rhythm generation
- increase chest wall rigidity (with higher doses, such as those used in anesthetic induction)
- can have interactions with other CNS depressants