Pentazocine

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Pentazocine

Pentazocine (pronounced: pen-TAZ-oh-seen) is a synthetic opioid used primarily to treat moderate to severe pain. It is also used as part of anesthesia in some surgical procedures.

Etymology

The term "Pentazocine" is derived from its chemical structure, which consists of a pentacyclic system (meaning it has five rings in its structure) and the suffix "-zocine", which is commonly used in the names of opioid drugs.

Pharmacology

Pentazocine is a mixed agonist-antagonist opioid, meaning it can both activate and block opioid receptors. It primarily acts on the kappa opioid receptors, producing analgesia, but also has some activity at the mu opioid receptors, where it can act as an antagonist. This unique pharmacological profile can result in less risk of respiratory depression and addiction compared to other opioids, but can also lead to unique side effects such as dysphoria and hallucinations.

Related Terms

  • Analgesia: The inability to feel pain while still conscious.
  • Agonist: A substance that initiates a physiological response when combined with a receptor.
  • Antagonist: A substance that interferes with or inhibits the physiological action of another.
  • Opioid: Any synthetic narcotic that has opiate-like activities but is not derived from opium.
  • Respiratory depression: A state in which the level of carbon dioxide in the blood is higher than normal, due to decreased respiration.
  • Dysphoria: A state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life.
  • Hallucinations: Perception in the absence of external stimulus that has qualities of real perception.

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski