Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs

Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs

Prescription drugs require a prescription from a medical practitioner and can only be obtained from a pharmacy. They have many applications, including treating pain, anxiety, and hypertension.
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...

Opioid Receptors: Overview

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...

Analgesia and Pain Management

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: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners

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 Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Anvisa authorization for electronic prescriptions of controlled substances: implications for equity in access to pain management in Brazil.

Cadernos de saude publica·2026

Same author

Evaluation of the effects of Plasma-Lyte 148 or 0.9% saline on acid-base balance in patients undergoing neurosurgery: a randomized clinical trial.

Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil)·2026

Same author

Analgesia through FKBP51 inhibition at disease onset confers lasting relief from sensory and emotional chronic pain symptoms.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

Synovial fibroblast gene expression is associated with sensory nerve growth and pain in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science translational medicine·2024

Same author

Children's preoperative stress according to the parental presence evaluated by salivary cortisol and mYPAS: quasi-randomized trial.

Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P·2024

Same author

Dry needling, trigger point electroacupuncture and motor point electroacupuncture for the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome involving the trapezius: a randomised clinical trial.

Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Combining Laser Capture Microdissection and Microfluidic qPCR to Analyze Transcriptional Profiles of Single Cells: A Systems Biology Approach to Opioid Dependence

Combining Laser Capture Microdissection and Microfluidic qPCR to Analyze Transcriptional Profiles of Single Cells: A Systems Biology Approach to Opioid Dependence

Published on: March 8, 2020

Spread the Word: There Are Two Opioid Crises!

Marco Antônio Marchetti Calônego¹, Shafaq Sikandar², Frank D Ferris³

¹Medical School, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.

|June 14, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Opioid availability varies globally, leading to misuse in some regions and under-prescription for pain management in others. This disparity impacts patient access to essential pain relief, creating distinct global opioid crises.

More Related Videos

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Published on: August 4, 2022

Fentanyl Analog Screening using LC-TIMS-TOF MS/MS

Fentanyl Analog Screening using LC-TIMS-TOF MS/MS

Published on: November 8, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Combining Laser Capture Microdissection and Microfluidic qPCR to Analyze Transcriptional Profiles of Single Cells: A Systems Biology Approach to Opioid Dependence

Combining Laser Capture Microdissection and Microfluidic qPCR to Analyze Transcriptional Profiles of Single Cells: A Systems Biology Approach to Opioid Dependence

Published on: March 8, 2020

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Published on: August 4, 2022

Fentanyl Analog Screening using LC-TIMS-TOF MS/MS

Fentanyl Analog Screening using LC-TIMS-TOF MS/MS

Published on: November 8, 2024

Area of Science:

Pain Management
Pharmacology
Global Health

Background:

Opioids are recommended for moderate to severe cancer pain but face accessibility issues globally.
Opioid use for chronic non-cancer pain is controversial and lacks strong evidence.
Global disparities in opioid availability contribute to both overuse and under-prescription crises.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the global impact of opioid availability on pain management.
To highlight how overuse in some countries affects access in others.
To differentiate between crises of recreational opioid use and under-prescription for pain.

Main Methods:

Narrative review of existing literature on opioid accessibility and use.
Analysis of factors influencing opioid availability worldwide.
Examination of the consequences of global opioid disparities.

Main Results:

Opioid accessibility differs significantly between countries.
Overuse and misuse are risks where opioids are readily available.
Limited access leads to inadequate pain management in many regions.
The global opioid crisis exacerbates 'opiophobia,' affecting legitimate pain treatment.

Conclusions:

Global opioid availability is a critical determinant of pain management outcomes.
Disparities create distinct crises: recreational overuse versus under-prescription.
Addressing global inequities in opioid access is crucial for effective pain relief.