Neuropeptide mimetics for pain management

Lipkowski, A. W.; Misicka, A.; Carr, D. B.; Ronsisvalle, G.; Kosson, Dariusz; Bonney, I. Maszczynska

doi:10.1351/pac200476050941

Pure Appl. Chem., 2004, Vol. 76, No. 5, pp. 941-950

http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/pac200476050941

Neuropeptide mimetics for pain management

A. W. Lipkowski, A. Misicka, D. B. Carr, G. Ronsisvalle, Dariusz Kosson and I. Maszczynska Bonney

Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02106 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Chemistry, Warsaw University, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy; Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Medical School, Warsaw, Poland

Abstract: The discovery of numerous endogenous neuropeptides that participate in the formation, transmission, modulation, and perception of pain signals offers numerous strategies for the development of new analgesics. Nevertheless, the same research has not yet replaced opioids as the gold standard of pain treatment. Therefore, one possible avenue of drug development may shift interest from searching for receptor-selective opioids to creating an arsenal of drugs that target multiple opioid and non-opioid sites simultaneously. The presented short review focuses on the development of potential analgesic peptidomimetic compounds based upon opioid neuropeptides and substance P.