Drugs {opiate drug} can make people feel exhilarated {euphoriant, opiate} {euphoriogenic, opiate} and energetic and can relieve pain. Natural opiates include opium, codeine, Demerol, heroin, morphine, nepenthe, and thebaine. Synthetic opiates include methadone, fentanyl, and oxycodone. Opiates can cause physical and psychological dependence.
effects
Opiates bind to receptors {mu opiate receptor} in ventral tegmentum area (VTA) in midbrain and nucleus accumbens (NAc) {mesoaccumbens reward system}. Opiates reduce activity in neurons that inhibit dopamine neurons, so VTA dopamine increases and goes to NAc. NAc sends GABAergic effects to other brain areas that affect prefrontal cortex. Opiates block nociceptive system.
endogenous opiates
Body makes endorphin and enkaphalin opiates that reduce pain by releasing or uptaking neurotransmitters.
Opium poppies make chemical mixtures {opium}. Opium is for pain relief, relaxation, and recreation in some countries. Western peoples gave opium sedative to small children. In Far East, people smoked opium.
Intravenous drugs {cocaine, anesthetic} can bind to opiate receptors, reduce acetylcholine and substance-P release, and reduce pain. Cocaine maintains consciousness and can be a local anesthetic [1884].
stimulant
Cocaine, from coca leaves, affects sublenticular extended amygdala. Cocaine releases norepinephrine and dopamine from vesicles. Cocaine and other such stimulants affect synaptic transporter protein and so prevent dopamine and other catecholamine uptake into presynaptic terminals. Cocaine is a stimulant and euphoriant. It is not addictive [Earleywine, 2002] [Grinspoon and Bakalar, 1993]. Butyrylcholinesterase blood protein catabolizes cocaine.
Amines {codeine} derive from opium.
Intravenous drugs {fentanyl} can bind to opiate receptors, reduce acetylcholine and substance-P release, and reduce pain. Fentanyl maintains consciousness.
West Europe had opium tincture {laudanum}.
Drugs {methadone} can be heroin substitutes.
Intravenous amine alkaloid {morphine} derives from opium, binds to opiate receptors, reduces acetylcholine and substance-P release, and reduces pain. Morphine maintains consciousness.
Drugs {narcotic}| can be opium derivatives, such as opium, cocaine, and coca leaves.
opiate {nepenthe}.
Intravenous procaine hydrochloride {Novocaine} comes from cocaine, binds to opiate receptors, reduces acetylcholine and substance-P release, and reduces pain. Novocaine maintains consciousness.
Drugs {paregoric} can contain morphine, camphor, and aromatics.
Intravenous drugs {procaine} can remove methyl groups from DNA or prevent DNA methylation, come from cocaine, reduce acetylcholine and substance-P release, bind to opiate receptors, and reduce pain. Procaine maintains consciousness.
Intravenous drugs {sufentanyl} can bind to opiate receptors, reduce acetylcholine and substance-P release, and reduce pain. Sufentanyl maintains consciousness.
opiate {thebaine}.
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Date Modified: 2022.0225