Opioids and pain treatment

Abstract

Opiates are medications derived from the poppy plant that attach to opioid receptors in the brain. The extraction of morphine from opium marked the beginning of organic alkaloid chemistry and has led to the synthesis of a variety of semisynthetic and synthetic analgesics. Opium and its derivatives have been used for thousands of years not only for pain relief but also for the euphoria that they produce. It is this dual effect that allows them to be so useful but also addictive and therefore dangerous. Understanding their structure, action, use, and abuse reflects the close connection that we have with the plant world.