PS298 - Opium

Opium War

Conflict over British opium trade in China.

Natural Opiates

Naturally occurring compounds like morphine and codeine.

Semisynthetic Opiates

Modified natural opiates for faster brain entry.

Synthetic Opiates

Man-made drugs not derived from natural sources.

Fentanyl

Synthetic opioid, 50-100x more potent than morphine.

Tolerance

Reduced response to opioids after repeated use.

Chronic Pain Treatment

Opioids effectively manage long-term pain conditions.

Mechanism of Action

Opioids bind to receptors, altering neurotransmitter release.

Presynaptic Receptors

Opioid receptors that modulate neurotransmitter release.

Postsynaptic Receptors

Receptors that directly affect neuron activity.

Physiological Effects

Impact on pain, mood, cognition, and addiction.

Central Nervous System

Brain and spinal cord areas affected by opioids.

Cardiovascular Effects

Opioids can lower blood pressure and heart rate.

Gastrointestinal Effects

Opioids slow digestion, causing constipation.

Psychological Effects

Euphoria and impaired cognitive functions from opioids.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Withdrawal symptoms in newborns from opioid exposure.

Dextromethorphan

Cough suppressant with no psychoactive effects.

Loperamide

Antidiarrheal with no euphoric effects or abuse potential.

Needle Exchange Programs

Reduce overdoses and disease transmission among users.

Opioid Receptors

Mediators of analgesia and respiratory depression.

Opioid Addiction

Compulsive use despite harmful consequences.

Opioid Overdose Symptoms

Depressed respiration, pinpoint pupils, and coma.

Behavioral Tolerance

Adaptation to drug effects based on environment.

Opioid Crisis

Public health issue due to widespread opioid misuse.

Opiates

Occur naturally in opium poppy include opium, morphine and codeine.

Opioids

Refers to natural, synthetic or endogenous substance that bind to opioid receptors

Narcotic

Any drug that fills the senses, relieves pain and induces sleep

Isolation of morphine

Done by frederinch serturner, isolated and identified the active ingredient in opium. Named it morphine after Greek god of dreams.

Invention of hypodermic syringe

Alexander wood invested a syringe to go into the bloodstream directly

Influx of Chinese immigrants

Railway workers used opium to cope with hard labour

War

battlefields surgeons used it to amputate limbs and sedate patients

Patent medicines

Helped with pneumonia, diarrhea, tuberculosis.

Synthesis of heroin

British chemist Charles Adler wright, Felix Hoffman added two groups to it.

Meperidine (Demerol)

Used for pain relief, in obstetrics after surgery. As strong as Codeine.

CNS

Bind to brain and spinal cord and vomiting centre

Cardiovascular chronic effects

Suppress coughing and respiration, dialate blood vessels, flushing of the skin, decrease blood pressure.

Gastrointestinal

Decrease movement of food and make urination hard

Sleep

Sedation and drowsiness occur.

Reproductive effects

Decrease libido, impotence, no menstruation and decreased sperm production.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome

Baby withdraws from opioid drugs they were exposed to as a fetus

Opioid triad

Coma, depressed respiration and pinpoint pupils.

Shepard Siegel

Injected rats with heroin and changed location of injection, those in new environment died

Naloxone

Short acting opioid antagonist

Naltrexone

Long acting opioid antagonist treats opioid and alcohol addiction

Buprenorphine

Partial agonist