Pain-Anesthesia Flashcards
Where did the first information on opioids come from?
Ancient Mesopotamia
Where is opium extracted from?
Resin of the poppy bud
Who first noticed that opium could put people to sleep?
Paracelsus, 1493-1541
What did Paracelsus observe?
By combining alcohol and opium, the painkilling effect increases
Who first isolated morphine from opium?
1806, Friedrich Wilhelm Serturner
What was significant about Friedrich Serturner’s discovery of morphine?
He isolated morphine into a pure white powder, which allowed for determining accurate dosage
How did Friedrich Serturner name morphine?
After the Greek god of dreams “Morpheus”
What is the therapeutic window of morphine?
It is very narrow, meaning the difference between a dose that relieves pain and one that causes death is small.
When did the British introduce opium to China?
In the 1800s, during British rule over India.
What was China’s initial response to British opium exports?
China resisted due to the addictive nature of opium and did not want to open opium dens.
What wars were caused by China’s resistance to the British opium exports?
The First Opium War (1839-1842) and the Second Opium War (1856-1860).
What was the result of the Opium Wars for China?
China lost, leading to widespread opium addiction in the country.
What was another issue during the time after the Opium Wars?
Patent medicines: they contained active ingredients but the dosage was unknown to consumers, leading to addiction
When was the issue of patent drugs addressed?
In 1906, when the US introduced the first ever Food and Drug Act. (It concerned labeling but was not super strict yet)
What are endorphins? What do they do?
Endorphins are proteins that relieve pain and create feelings of pleasure, such as those during laughter, orgasms, and the high after exercising.
How does morphine relieve pain?
Morphine resembles endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers, and fits into the same receptors that endorphins do, blocking pain signals.
What neurotransmitter causes pain, and how does morphine affect it?
Substance P causes pain, and morphine blocks Substance P to reduce pain.
What type of addiction does morphine cause?
It causes physical addiction because the body needs more and more of it over time, and withdrawal symptoms occur when it’s not in the body’s system
What is the double-edged sword of opioids?
It is used in medicine for good, like pain relief, but can also cause some bad, like addiction
Who synthesized heroin (diacetyl morphine) from morphine?
In 1874, Charles Romley Wright
What was the initial view on heroin?
Thought to be a better painkiller and less addictive, and was compared to aspirin, but they are very different
How addictive is heroin?
One single injection can lead to addiction. It takes less less heroin to get someone addicted than morphine
Where is heroin used?
It is not used in any medicines or hospitals
How is morphine converted to heroin?
It is very easy: a slight change in molecular structure, just attach two acetyl groups to morphine.
Who is credited with the development of aspirin?
Felix Hoffmann
What substance is found in the bark of the willow tree?
Salicin
What happens to salicin when you swallow it?
It gets converted into salicylic acid
How was aspirin first made?
Salicylic acid + acetic acid = acetyl salicylic acid or ASA (aspirin)
Aspirin is made from something found in the bark of the willow tree
Who won the Nobel Prize for discovering how aspirin works?
In 1982, Sir John Vane
How does aspirin work?
Aspirin blocks the enzyme, cyclooxyrgenase, stopping the formation of prostaglandins that cause inflammation, swelling, pain, and fever.
How does aspirin cause negative effects?
It interferes with the production of prostaglandins, which protect the stomach lining, decreasing stomach acid production and help the gut release more protective mucus.
Who found oxycodone? And how?
Martin Freund and Edmund Speyer found it from thebaine, a compound in opium, when they played around with the structure of morphine