Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins > Peptides > Neuropeptides > Opioid Peptides Terms and Definitions

Opioid Peptides

Medical Definition:	The endogenous peptides with opiate-like activity. The three major classes currently recognized are the ENKEPHALINS, the DYNORPHINS, and the ENDORPHINS. Each of these families derives from different precursors, proenkephalin, prodynorphin, and pro-opiomelanocortin, respectively. There are also at least three classes of opioid receptors, but the peptide families do not map to the receptors in a simple way.
Also Called:	Opiates, Endogenous
Previously Indexed:	Endorphins (1978-1994)

Opioid Peptides Categories.

	Dynorphins - A class of opioid peptides including dynorphin A, dynorphin B, and smaller fragments of these peptides. Dynorphins prefer kappa-opioid receptors (RECEPTORS, OPIOID, KAPPA) and have been shown to play a role as central nervous system transmitters.
	Endorphins - One of the three major groups of endogenous opioid peptides. They are large peptides derived from the pro-opiomelanocortin precursor. The known members of this group are alpha-, beta-, and gamma-endorphin. The term endorphin is also sometimes used to refer to all opioid peptides, but the narrower sense is used here; OPIOID PEPTIDES is used for the broader group.
	Enkephalins - One of the three major families of endogenous opioid peptides. The enkephalins are pentapeptides that are widespread in the central and peripheral nervous systems and in the adrenal medulla.

Opioid Peptides Medical Definitions and Terms

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