Methadone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Methadone - Essay Example Synthesis of the methadone molecule from these precursors is also described. The manufacturing process yields a racemic mixture with the levo rotator form being more active pharmacologically. This synthetic drug primarily mimics morphine in its ability to act at the  µ opioid receptors however with the advantage of lacking addictive potential. Introduction Drugs used for therapy in human and animal medicine may have a biological origin or may be synthesized artificially. Whatever the source, all drugs have a particular chemical structure and modifications in the structure have been attempted historically to enhance their therapeutic effect or reduce their side effects. Thus the subject of chemistry is extremely relevant to drugs used for therapy. Methadone is a prime example of a synthetic painkiller or analgesic drug which was developed by German scientists in an endeavor to develop an alternative to morphine, which had potential for addiction. The human experience of pain brought forth a need to alleviate it by artificial means and looking for natural pain killers was the first endeavor of the prehistoric man. Opium was the first substance discovered by man around third century BC which had myriad effects on the body (Gutstein & Akil, 2001). Besides alleviating pain, opium became a substance of abuse due to its profound intoxicating and euphoric effects. The active substance, morphine was isolated from opium by Serturner, who named it after the Greek god of dreams, Morpheus (Gutstein & Akil, 2001). Discovery and isolation of other alkaloids followed and these drugs were the mainstay of pain therapy during medieval times and continue to be used so in various forms as different congeners exert different pharmacological actions. During early use of these drugs, their mechanism of action was not well understood but research and discovery yielded the information that specific endogenous receptors existed inside the body to which the opioids got bound and exerted their biological actions. The receptors discovered till date have been labeled as  µ, ?, ? and the latest N/OFQ receptors (Gutstein & Akil, 2001). The various congeners exert their pharmacological actions by binding with specific class of receptors. Methadone is a molecule which interacts with the  µ receptors and produces profound analgesic effect as good as that of morphine. The molecule was first discovered by German scientists in the 1930s in their endeavor to find an analgesic drug without the addictive potential of morphine (CESAR). It is therefore classified as a synthetic, narcotic analgesic which has also been employed as a treatment to wean addicts away from the use of heroin which is a drug of abuse. Methadone has a longer lasting  µ receptor agonist action as compared to morphine. The drug exists as an enantiomer and the l-methadone form is 8-50 times more potent as compared to the d-methadone racemate (Gutstein & Akil, 2001). Methadone is a white crystalline powd er which melts at 233-236oC and is soluble in water as well as organic solvents like methanol and chloroform (drugtext.org). However, it is insoluble in ether. Methadone is available as a hydrochloride salt in its chemical form and possesses 21 carbon, 27 hydrogen, and one each of nitrogen and oxygen atoms along with the hydrochloride in its molecular structure