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The Effect of Morphine on Glial Cells as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Pharmacological Development of Analgesic Drugs

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Abstract

Opioids have played a critical role in achieving pain relief in both modern and ancient medicine. Yet, their clinical use can be limited secondary to unwanted side effects such as tolerance, dependence, reward, and behavioral changes. Identification of glial-mediated mechanisms inducing opioid side effects include cytokine receptors, κ-opioid receptors, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, and the recently elucidated Toll-like receptors. Newer agents targeting these receptors such as AV411, MK-801, AV333, and SLC022, and older agents used outside the United States or for other disease conditions, such as minocycline, pentoxifylline, and UV50488H, all show varied but promising profiles for providing significant relief from opioid side effects, while simultaneously potentiating opioid analgesia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Phipps 160, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Haroon Hameed & Mariam Hameed

  2. Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 North Broadway, Suite 301, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Paul J. Christo

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  1. Haroon Hameed
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Correspondence to Paul J. Christo.

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Hameed, H., Hameed, M. & Christo, P.J. The Effect of Morphine on Glial Cells as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Pharmacological Development of Analgesic Drugs. Curr Pain Headache Rep 14, 96–104 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-010-0093-y

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