Abstract
Opioids have long been thought to act exclusively within the central nervous system. An increasing number of studies recently reported the existence of opioid receptors outside the central nervous system and therefore suggested that opioids are also able to produce analgesic effects in the periphery. Such effects are particularly prominent under painful inflammatory conditions, both in animals and in humans. During inflammatory processes, opioid receptors are transported from dorsal root ganglia towards the peripheral sensory nerve endings. At the same time, immune cells containing endogenous opioid peptides accumulate within the inflamed tissue. Environmental stimuli (e.g. stress) as well as releasing agents (e.g. corticotropin releasing factor, cytokines) can liberate these opioid peptides to interact with the neuronal opioid receptors and elicit local analgesia. The inflammation-induced activation of opioid production and the release of endogenous opioids from immune cells may lead to novel approaches for the development of peripherally acting analgesics. Clinical investigation now focuses on the development of new peripheral opioid agonists as well as on ways to stimulate the endogenous analgesic system in order to induce effective peripheral analgesia with reduced central side effects typically associated with opioids.
Keywords: peripheral opioid analgesia, inflammation, exogenous analgesia, endogenous analgesia, nociceptin/orl system, endomorphins, immune modulation of pain
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Title: Peripheral Opioid Analgesia
Volume: 4 Issue: 4
Author(s): W. Janson and C. Stein
Affiliation:
Keywords: peripheral opioid analgesia, inflammation, exogenous analgesia, endogenous analgesia, nociceptin/orl system, endomorphins, immune modulation of pain
Abstract: Opioids have long been thought to act exclusively within the central nervous system. An increasing number of studies recently reported the existence of opioid receptors outside the central nervous system and therefore suggested that opioids are also able to produce analgesic effects in the periphery. Such effects are particularly prominent under painful inflammatory conditions, both in animals and in humans. During inflammatory processes, opioid receptors are transported from dorsal root ganglia towards the peripheral sensory nerve endings. At the same time, immune cells containing endogenous opioid peptides accumulate within the inflamed tissue. Environmental stimuli (e.g. stress) as well as releasing agents (e.g. corticotropin releasing factor, cytokines) can liberate these opioid peptides to interact with the neuronal opioid receptors and elicit local analgesia. The inflammation-induced activation of opioid production and the release of endogenous opioids from immune cells may lead to novel approaches for the development of peripherally acting analgesics. Clinical investigation now focuses on the development of new peripheral opioid agonists as well as on ways to stimulate the endogenous analgesic system in order to induce effective peripheral analgesia with reduced central side effects typically associated with opioids.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Janson W. and Stein C., Peripheral Opioid Analgesia, Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 2003; 4 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389201033489766
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389201033489766 |
Print ISSN 1389-2010 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4316 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Artificial Intelligence in Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that analyzes and explores biological data. This field combines biology and information system. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has attracted great attention as it tries to replicate human intelligence. It has become common technology for analyzing and solving complex data and problems and encompasses sub-fields of machine ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Patent Selections:
Recent Patents on Regenerative Medicine Regenerative Potential of Stem Cells Derived from Human Exfoliated Deciduous (SHED) Teeth during Engineering of Human Body Tissues
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Receptor-Binding and Pharmacokinetic Properties of Dopaminergic Agonists
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Regulatory Mechanisms of Cardiac Development and Repair
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets Alpha9Alpha10 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors as Target for the Treatment of Chronic Pain
Current Pharmaceutical Design Therapeutic Potential of Targeting TREM-1 in Inflammatory Diseases and Cancer
Current Pharmaceutical Design Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase: A Key Enzyme in PGE2 Biosynthesis and Inflammation
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents Polyphenols Beyond Barriers: A Glimpse into the Brain
Current Neuropharmacology Nonviral Vectors for Cancer Gene Therapy: Prospects for Integrating Vectors and Combination Therapies
Current Gene Therapy Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Including Polycythemia Vera, Essential Thrombocythemia, and Primary Myelofibrosis, Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia, and Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Unclassifiable
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Role of miRNAs in Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy: A Recent Update
Current Pharmaceutical Design Gene Therapy in Cerebrovascular Diseases
Current Gene Therapy Neurotrophic Factors in Combination: A Possible new Therapeutic Strategy to Influence Pathophysiology of Spinal Cord Injury and Repair Mechanisms
Current Pharmaceutical Design Radiation-Induced Neuroinflammation and Radiation Somnolence Syndrome
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Current Nervous System Related Drug Targets for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Current Pharmaceutical Design Nitrogen, Oxygen or Sulfur Containing Heterocyclic Compounds as Analgesic Drugs Used as Modulators of the Nitroxidative Stress
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Regulation of Body Weight
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Therapeutic Applications of Liposomal Based Drug Delivery and Drug Targeting for Immune Linked Inflammatory Maladies: A Contemporary View Point
Current Drug Targets Brain Permeable Nanoparticles
Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery (Discontinued) Serotonin Transporter Gene Variants and Behavior: A Comprehensive Review
Current Drug Targets