Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Comprehensive Study on the Biochemical Mechanisms and Clinical Implications of Opioid Analgesics

One of the most significant medication families of drugs utilized for intensive treatment, and acute or chronic pain are morphine, opium, and opium-like drugs. The chemical synapse is the place of the effect of drugs and neurotransmitters. Opioids exert their analgesic properties through biochemical changes at chemical synapses by stimulating opioid receptors. Opioids prevent the transmission of pain messages to higher nerve centers by releasing the inhibitory transmitters in the synapse. The problem of using these substances is addiction and severe dependence on them due to the feeling of euphoria, relaxation, and painlessness caused by the use of these substances. Many aspects of the clinical action of opiates are still unknown. Therefore, research on the novel features of these compounds is ongoing in biochemistry and pharmaceutical sciences to synthesize drugs with fewer side effects and more effectiveness. On the other hand, the gate theory is one of the most important theories in controlling pain signals and analgesic drugs. Therefore, comprehensive knowledge and study of analgesic compounds are necessary to achieve the primary goal. Aromatic NH such as in tetrazole and mitragynine, and NH resonance next to the carbonyl functional group like that in carbamates has a high potential to create opioid properties due to the potential of creating tautomeric structures.