Morphine Essay

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Opioids are a group of drugs that act as pain relievers. Morphine and Codeine are the most well-known of these opioids. Morphine is administered in hospitals and is used to treat extreme pain, generally after surgery. Opioids are also native to our body, the ones we produce are known as endorphins. When an opioid is released into the body, it binds to opioid receptors, these reduce nerve transmission and therefore reduce pain and to a lesser extent, emotions. Over time the body will develop a dependence on opioids and will react badly when they are removed. (AUS pain management association)

The Metabolization of Morphine and Heroin in the Body
Morphine is a common opioid and is sometimes prescribed as a commercial painkiller in the case of …show more content…

(Addiction center) Morphine and Heroin both metabolize differently in the body. Morphine bonds to opioid receptors whereas heroin works by decomposing into active metabolites which produce the ‘high’ effect (as described below).
Morphine in the blood stream will mainly bond to µ (m) and κ (k) opioid receptors. µ receptors are responsible for several of the drugs effects including analgesia and euphoria, whereas κ receptors are responsible for sedation and also partly analgesia. Another kind of opioid receptor, the δ (d) receptor, also has the same effects as the µ and κ receptors, but to a lesser extent. Morphine has a biological half life of 1 and a half (intravenously) to 7 hours (long release medication, such as pain relief tablets).
Heroin does not react strongly with the opioid receptors and instead is metabolized into morphine and 6-acetylmorhpine by the enzymes CES1 and CES2 (Carboxylesterase); these metabolites are then metabolized in a similar manner to morphine and both react on the µ, κ and δ opioid receptors. Because the biological half life of heroin is only 6 to 25 minutes, this process is very rapid. (National highway traffic safety …show more content…

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Hogshire, J. (2004). Opium - Poppy Cultivation, Morphine and Heroin Manufacture. Erowid.org. Retrieved 12 March 2017, from https://erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/opium.html intermolecular bonding - hydrogen bonds. (2017). Chemguide.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2017, from http://www.chemguide.co.uk/atoms/bonding/hbond.html intermolecular bonding - van der Waals forces. (2017). Chemguide.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2017, from http://www.chemguide.co.uk/atoms/bonding/vdw.html
Kaplan, M. (2014). CND: Glucuronidation. Anapsid.org. Retrieved 12 March 2017, from http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/hormones/glucuronidation.html
London Dispersion Forces. (2017). Chem.purdue.edu. Retrieved 12 March 2017, from https://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/liquids/disperse.html
Morphine Addiction and Abuse - Opiate Painkiller Addiction. (2016). Addiction Center. Retrieved 12 March 2017, from https://www.addictioncenter.com/painkillers/morphine/
Opioids. (2017). Painmanagement.org.au. Retrieved 12 March 2017, from

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