Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
02:26

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents

Published on: April 9, 2019

5.7K

Attacking pain at its source: new perspectives on opioids

Christoph Stein1, Michael Schäfer, Halina Machelska

  • 1Klinik für Anaesthesiologie und Operative Intensivmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Klinikum Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. christoph.stein@medizin.fu-berlin.de

Nature Medicine
|August 2, 2003
PubMed

Insights

New opioid pain relief strategies focus on peripheral targets to avoid central nervous system side effects. Research explores localized opioid analgesics, immune cell targeting, and gene therapy for injury sites.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Immunology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Opioid medications are effective for severe pain but cause significant central nervous system side effects.
  • Current opioid treatments are limited by central nervous system adverse effects, impacting patient quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore novel therapeutic strategies for severe pain management.
  • To investigate non-central nervous system-acting opioid analgesics.
  • To evaluate gene transfer methods for localized opioid production.

Main Methods:

  • Investigating opioid analgesics that act peripherally.
  • Targeting opioid peptide-containing immune cells to damaged tissues.
  • Utilizing gene transfer to boost opioid synthesis at injury sites.

Main Results:

  • Promising new approaches are emerging for pain management.
  • Peripheral opioid action offers a potential alternative to central targets.
  • Targeted delivery and gene therapy show potential for enhanced localized analgesia.

Conclusions:

  • Novel strategies targeting peripheral mechanisms offer hope for improved severe pain treatment.
  • Future research should focus on developing localized opioid therapies to minimize side effects.
  • Peripheral opioid modulation presents a promising avenue for safer and more effective pain management.

More Related Videos

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities07:23

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities

Published on: July 29, 2014

33.9K
3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache10:39

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache

Published on: June 2, 2014

18.6K

Related Concept Videos

Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
1.3K
Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids01:15

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
768
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners01:20

Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners

Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
661
Opioid Receptors: Overview01:22

Opioid Receptors: Overview

Opioid receptors, including the mu (μ, MOR), delta (δ, DOR), and kappa (κ, KOR) types, belong to the rhodopsin family of G protein-coupled receptors. These receptors are located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and in non-neuronal tissues such as macrophages and astrocytes. Opioid receptor ligands can be categorized into agonists or antagonists. Highly selective agonists include [d-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly(ol)5]-enkephalin or DAMGO for MOR, [D-Pen2,...
3.5K
Pain01:20

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
1.1K
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Opioids as Antidiarrheal Agents01:17

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Opioids as Antidiarrheal Agents

Diarrhea, a condition marked by frequent loose or watery bowel movements, can be triggered by multiple factors such as viral or bacterial infections, food intolerances, anxiety, medications, and digestive disorders. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and cramping. Severe or prolonged diarrhea can lead to complications like electrolyte imbalances, malnutrition, and dehydration if left untreated.
Opioids, widely used antidiarrheal agents, mitigate diarrhea by slowing down...
507