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and synthetics such as methadone. The term “opioids” is used to
classify a family of substances whose biological action is similar to
morphine. These drugs produce a wide range of biological actions
including euphoria, pain suppression and sedation, which make them
important as medicines. The word endorphin is actually the combined
form of two words – endogenous (from within) and morphine. The
morphine from within – endorphin. The pharmacologic action of
morphine mimics that of endorphins. There are probably about two
dozen different endogenous opioid types that can be categorized in one
of three different systems: 1) the endorphin system, 2) the enkephalin
system, and 3) the dynorphin system.

Opioid Receptors

Cells found in the nervous system are called neurons. Neurons are
specialized cells whose main function is to coordinate a wide variety
of behaviors using specialized chemical messengers
(neurotransmitters) to communicate with other neurons.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit neurological information
from neuron to neuron. The neurological information could be about
mood, heart rate, blood pressure, movement, remembering something,
pleasure, etc. Between each of the brain’s 100 billion neurons is a
fluid filled space, called a synapse, where neurotransmitter messages
are sent by neurons and received by other neurons in order to
coordinate behavior (figure 1.).

figure 1