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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...
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...
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...
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, D-Pen5]-enkephalin or DPDPE for...
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...
Nociception01:44

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
07:09

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

Published on: July 16, 2014

Opioids and neuropathic pain.

Howard S Smith1

  • 1Albany Medical College, Department of Anesthesiology, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-131 Albany, New York 12208, USA. smithh@mail.amc.edu

Pain Physician
|July 13, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Opioids can help manage chronic neuropathic pain (NP), but their effectiveness varies. Mechanisms underlying NP can reduce opioid efficacy and cause tolerance or hyperalgesia.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Pain Medicine
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Opioids are potent analgesics but controversial due to addiction potential.
  • Chronic neuropathic pain (NP) is challenging to treat, with variable patient response to analgesics.
  • Opioids are generally considered second or third-line treatments for NP.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy and limitations of opioid analgesics in managing chronic neuropathic pain.
  • To explore the mechanisms by which NP may reduce opioid effectiveness and contribute to tolerance.
  • To discuss the differential responsiveness of peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal NP to opioids.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on opioid analgesia for neuropathic pain.

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Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents

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Partial Sciatic Nerve Ligation: A Mouse Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain to Study the Antinociceptive Effect of Novel Therapies
08:16

Partial Sciatic Nerve Ligation: A Mouse Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain to Study the Antinociceptive Effect of Novel Therapies

Published on: October 6, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
07:09

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

Published on: July 16, 2014

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
02:26

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents

Published on: April 9, 2019

Partial Sciatic Nerve Ligation: A Mouse Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain to Study the Antinociceptive Effect of Novel Therapies
08:16

Partial Sciatic Nerve Ligation: A Mouse Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain to Study the Antinociceptive Effect of Novel Therapies

Published on: October 6, 2022

  • Analysis of neurobiological mechanisms contributing to neuropathic pain and opioid interactions.
  • Examination of clinical evidence regarding opioid effectiveness across different NP subtypes.

    • Main Results:

    • Neuropathic pain is often less responsive to opioids than nociceptive pain.
    • Mechanisms of NP can diminish opioid antinociceptive properties, leading to tolerance and hyperalgesia.
    • Peripheral NP shows more opioid responsiveness than spinal or supraspinal NP.

    Conclusions:

    • While opioids can benefit some patients with NP, their use is limited by complex underlying mechanisms.
    • Opioid-induced hyperalgesia and tolerance, potentially involving NMDA receptors, complicate treatment.
    • Individualized approaches may be necessary, as certain opioids might be better suited for specific NP presentations.