Nalorphine
Nalorphine (pronounced: na-LOR-feen) is a morphine derivative that acts as an antagonist at the mu-opioid receptor. It was first synthesized in the 1950s and is used primarily to counteract the effects of opioid overdose.
Etymology
The term "Nalorphine" is derived from "N-Allylnormorphine", where "N" refers to the nitrogen atom in the molecule, "Allyl" refers to the type of chemical group attached to the nitrogen, and "normorphine" is a reference to the parent compound, morphine.
Pharmacology
Nalorphine works by binding to the mu-opioid receptor in the brain, thereby blocking the effects of opioids such as morphine and heroin. This makes it an effective treatment for opioid overdose, as it can quickly reverse the potentially fatal respiratory depression caused by excessive opioid consumption.
Related Terms
- Opioid: A class of drugs that includes the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others.
- Antagonist: A substance that interferes with or inhibits the physiological action of another.
- Mu-opioid receptor: A class of opioid receptors with high affinity for enkephalins and beta-endorphin, but low affinity for dynorphins. They are also referred to as μ-opioid peptide (MOP) receptors.
- Morphine: A pain medication of the opiate family which is found naturally in a number of plants and animals. It acts directly on the central nervous system (CNS) to decrease the feeling of pain.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Nalorphine
- Wikipedia's article - Nalorphine
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