Opiate Receptors
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines opiates as "powerful drugs derived from the poppy plant that have been used for centuries to relieve pain." The family of opiates, including codeine, heroin and morphine, are the most effective pain relievers available for dental and medical procedures. Opiates work by "activating opiate receptors that are widely distributed throughout the brain and body," according to the NIH.
Brain Centers
The body regularly produces chemicals to dull the feelings of pain. The brain receptors also recognize the introduction of opiates into the body and produce special endorphins to relay impulses to the body. Endorphins are created for normal body functions, including hormone regulation and respiration.
Body Reaction
The brain receptors trigger systems in the body to modify operation. This includes the respiratory centers, which react by reducing the breathing rate. Opiates also work in the spinal cord by blocking the transmission of pain messages between the neurons and brain. The process is called "analgesia."
Effects of Opiates
Scientific study has discovered some of the effects of opiates. Dr. Michael C. Rowbotham of the University of California at San Francisco directed a series of pain studies in the 2003, concluding that "opioids work for neuropathic pain, but they don't work for everyone." Opiates quickly activate the brain's reward system and increase the production of dopamine released in the nucleus accumbens, creating a feeling of "rush." Morphine and codeine are used to relieve pain, notably in cancer patients and during surgical procedures.
Opiate Addiction
The NIH states, "When opiates are prescribed by a physician for the treatment of pain and are taken in the prescribed dosage, they are safe, and there is little chance of addition." When an opiate is used "improperly," however, it can "quickly trigger addition." Early addiction withdrawal symptoms include muscle aches, insomnia, sweating and anxiety. Late withdrawal symptoms include diarrhea, cramping and vomiting, according to the NIH. Counseling, inpatient and outpatient treatment,and methadone maintenance are all used as part of withdrawal treatments.
Synthetic Opiates and Opioids
Researchers have developed replacement drugs as a substitute for the medical use of morphine and codeine due to the high level of patient addiction. The molecular structure of the morphine molecule was used by Dr. Lyndon F. Small in 1929 to manufacture the drug metopon as the first substitute for the addictive medical opiates used at the time. Synthetic opiate substitutes and a new group of opiates called opioids were developed in the 1960s and 1970s by researchers, including pioneers Dr. Nathan Eddy and Dr. Everette May. The NIH Total Opiate Synthesis process was perfected by Dr. Kenner Rice in 1979 for commercial opiate pain reliever production. The process is currently used for worldwide manufacture of prescription opiate medications.
References
- "Oral Opioid Therapy;" M.C. Rowbotham, et al., NEJM, Mar. 27, 2003
- NIH: Opiates
- NIH: Drugs as Opiates, Drugs as Research Tools
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