Download morphine - KatelynBattochio

By Katelyn Battochio
Morphine
 Morphine is a naturally occurring substance of the
juice in the unripe seedpods of the opium poppy.
 A potent narcotic analgesic, and its primary clinical
use is for moderately severe pain.
 After Heroin, Morphine has the greatest dependence
liability of the narcotic analgesic common use.
Street Names
 “ M”
 Morph
 Miss Emma
 In 1805, Morphine was first isolated from opium by a
German pharmacist F.W.A Serturner, who named the
drug “ Morphium” after Morpheus, the Greek God of
dreams.
The Past
 The use of injectable Morphine during the American
Civil War is believed to be the widespread addiction to
injectable opiates.
 It was also used as a surgical anesthetic
 Morphine addiction was called the “Soldiers Disease”
as more than 400,000 wounded soldiers were sent
home with Morphine for relief of pain.
 Morphine is so effective because it acts directly at
pain-modulating receptors in the nervous system,
know as Opioid receptors. These receptors respond to
natural compounds built by our bodies to control the
level of pain we experience at different times.
The Brain
 It has a neurotoxic effect on the brain and is very
addictive.
 On site where Morphine acts in the reward center of
the Brain- the area which makes eating and other
essential processes feel pleasurable.
 The brain responds to Morphine by building more
components for the G protein signaling system.
The Brain Cont.
 Long term abuse can result in
deadly effects like brain damage
because of neurotoxic effects of
the drug.
 It is a long and painful process to
overcome the psychological
dependence of Morphine.
The Brain
 Although Morphine remains the most effective drug
for pain relief, it is far from perfect.
 Morphine’s pharmacological effect is on the Nervous
system and Gastrointestinal tract.
 Morphine is highly addictive and tolerance, physical
and psychological dependence develops quickly.
Side Effects
 Constipation
 Nausea/Vomiting
 Dizziness
 Histamine release
 Itching
 Dry Mouth
 Abdominal pain
 Low blood pressure
 Euphoria
Major Side effects
 LIVER: It can cause Hepatitis C or inflammation to the
liver. Hepatitis C virus can usually be found in
intravenous drug abusers. Morphine suppresses the
immune system and enhances the Hepatitis C
replication.
Addiction
 Morphine chemically alters the normal functioning of
the reward system which leads to Morphine addiction.
 It only takes a few days for an individual to get
addicted.
Tolerance
 Because of its high addictive nature, the Morphine
abuser needs higher and higher doses to maintain the
same effect of the drug.
Immune system
 You have a higher risk of infection of Pneumonia,
Tuberculosis and HIV, as morphine decreases
immunity.
 In Morphine abusers there is a high risk of infections
and it may also impair the healing of a wound.
Withdrawal stages
 Sudden withdrawal of Morphine leads to prototypical
opioid withdrawal syndrome, suicide, heart attacks,
stokes, seizures, dehydration, insomnia, elevated
blood pressure, muscle and bone aches, loss of
appetite and involuntary urination.
 There are 6 stages of withdrawals
 Stage I: Six to fourteen hours after last dose: Drug
craving, anxiety, irritability, perspiration, and mild to
moderate dysphoria.
 Stage II: Yawning, heavy perspiration, mild depression
,crying, running nose, also intensification of the above
symptoms.
 Stage III: Increase in other of the above, dilated
pupils, piloerection (gooseflesh), muscle twitches, hot
flashes, cold flashes, aching bones and muscles, loss of
appetite and the beginning of intestinal cramping.
 Stage IV: Increase in all of the above including severe
cramping and involuntary leg movements ("kicking
the habit"), loose stool, insomnia, elevation of blood
pressure, moderate elevation in body temperature,
increase in frequency of breathing and tidal volume,
elevated pulse, restlessness, nausea
 Stage V: Increase in the above, fetal position, vomiting,
free and frequent liquid diarrhea, which sometimes can
accelerate the time of passage of food from mouth to out of
system to an hour or less, saturation of bedding materials
with bodily fluids, weight loss of two to five kilos per 24
hours, increased white cell count and other blood changes.
 Stage VI: Recovery of appetite ("the chucks"), and normal
bowel function, beginning of transition to post-acute and
chronic symptoms that are mainly psychological but that
may also include increased sensitivity to pain,
hypertension, colitis or other gastrointestinal afflictions
related to motility, and problems with weight control in
either direction.
The End