Preprint / Version 1

From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Active Opioid Antinociceptive Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design

Authors

  • Rita Turnaturi Department of Drug and Health Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; [email protected]
  • Silvia Piana Department of Drug and Health Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; [email protected]
  • Salvatore Spoto Department of Drug and Health Sciences, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy; [email protected] (S.S.); [email protected] (C.P.)
  • Giuliana Costanzo Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; [email protected]
  • Lorena Reina Postgraduate School of Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia n. 97, 95100 Catania, Italy; [email protected]
  • Lorella Pasquinucci Department of Drug and Health Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; [email protected]
  • Carmela Parenti Department of Drug and Health Sciences, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy; [email protected] (S.S.); [email protected] (C.P.)

Keywords:

opioid receptors, analgesic, pain, drug design, semisynthesis

Abstract

Pain continues to be an enormous global health challenge, with millions of new untreated or inadequately treated patients reported annually. With respect to current clinical applications, opioids remain the mainstay for the treatment of pain, although they are often associated with serious side effects. To optimize their tolerability profiles, medicinal chemistry continues to study novel ligands and innovative approaches. Among them, natural products are known to be a rich source of lead compounds for drug discovery, and they hold potential for pain management. Traditional medicine has had a long history in clinical practice due to the fact that nature provides a rich source of active principles. For instance, opium had been used for pain management until the 19th century when its individual components, such as morphine, were purified and identified. In this review article, we conducted a literature survey aimed at identifying natural products interacting either directly with opioid receptors or indirectly through other mechanisms controlling opioid receptor signaling, whose structures could be interesting from a drug design perspective. Keywords: opioid receptors, analgesic, pain, drug design, semisynthesis

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