Discussion – Synthetic Opioids
Drug use and abuse are a common part of society. People derive pleasure from using their drugs of preference, such as liquor and marijuana, amongst others. From these two examples, it is apparent that some drugs require modification by people, such as the creation of spirits, while other drugs, such as marijuana, sprout from the earth. Manufactured drugs are artificial, hence the name synthetic drugs. Due to the multipurpose quality of the drugs, some of the drugs were and are used as medication, increasing drug abuse cases. Opium, the source of opioids, is one type of multipurpose drug that occurs naturally from poppy plants, but it also occurs artificially as synthetic opioids such as codeine, oxycodone, and morphine, relievers of pain, among others (Girard, 2011).
Certain properties of opium and synthetic opioids contribute to their use in medical practice. All opioids are characterized by a chemical structure comprising bases containing nitrogen (Girard, 2011). This chemical structure enables the interaction between nerve receptors for opioids in cells and the opioid substance introduced to the body, resulting in effects on the body. The model referred to as the lock and key model is used to illustrate this interaction and its impacts. The key illustrates the molecule of the substance, while the lock illustrates the receptors. Accordingly, the opioid substance interacts with the receptors by fitting into these sites based on their chemical structure, which influences the overall structure of the substance. The effects of the drug are felt when the substances remain attached to receptors; however, once they are loosened from the receptors, their effects fade away.
Therefore, the lock and key model is essential in creating artificial drugs since the required structure necessary for a substance can be recreated artificially. Examples of synthetic opioids include pain relievers such as oxycodone (OxyContin®) and codeine (Girard, 2011).
References
Girard, J. (2011). Criminalistics: Forensic Science, Crime, and Terrorism. Jones and Bartlett Publishers
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Discussion – Synthetic Opioids
Give three examples of synthetic opioids and describe their accepted medical uses.
Criminalistics: Forensic Science, Crime, and Terrorism
James E. Girard, 2017
Jones & Bartlett Learning
ISBN.13: 978-1-284-14261-7
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