Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Author Spotlight: Enhanced Method for Evaluating Analgesic Effects — Dual Hind Paw Carrageenan Injection in Mice
06:54

Author Spotlight: Enhanced Method for Evaluating Analgesic Effects — Dual Hind Paw Carrageenan Injection in Mice

Published on: November 15, 2024

3.0K

The search for novel analgesics: targets and mechanisms

Tony L Yaksh1, Sarah A Woller1, Roshni Ramachandran1

  • 1University of California, San Diego, Department of Anesthesiology 0818 9500 Gilman, Dr. (CTF C-312), La Jolla, CA 92093 USA.

F1000Prime Reports
|June 23, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Understanding pain biology and utilizing preclinical models are crucial for developing new pain therapeutics. This review examines current strategies and their limitations in analgesic drug development.

Area of Science:

  • Pain research
  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Effective pain management is critical across medical specialties.
  • Understanding nociceptive processing is key to novel therapeutic development.
  • Preclinical models are vital for linking biological mechanisms to pain states.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current understanding of pain biology.
  • To discuss the utility of preclinical models in pain research.
  • To explore novel pain therapeutic development strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of pain biology mechanisms.
  • Analysis of preclinical models for pain assessment.
  • Evaluation of current analgesic development strategies.

Main Results:

  • Pain processing involves complex biological mechanisms.
  • Preclinical models aid in understanding mechanism-behavior relationships.
  • Current analgesic development faces challenges and limitations.

Conclusions:

  • Advancing pain therapeutics requires a deep understanding of pain biology.
  • Optimizing preclinical models is essential for translational success.
  • Addressing limitations in current strategies can accelerate the development of effective analgesics.

More Related Videos

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents02:26

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents

Published on: April 9, 2019

6.0K
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

34.3K

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...
3.1K
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...
1.5K
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.
34.8K
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...
1.6K
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...
1.9K
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,...
6.7K