Agmatine and imidazoline receptors: their role in opioid analgesia, tolerance and dependence.

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Wu N, Su RB, Li J

Agmatine and imidazoline receptors: their role in opioid analgesia, tolerance and dependence.

Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2008 Aug;28(5):629-41. Epub 2007 Jul 25.

PubMed ID
17653850 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

Agmatine is an endogenous amine that is synthesized following the decarboxylation of L-arginine by arginine decarboxylase. Agmatine exists in mammalian brain and has been proposed as a neurotransmitter and/or neurotransmodulator. Agmatine binds to several targets and is considered as an endogenous ligand for imidazoline receptors. This review, mainly based on our research work in the past decade, focused on the modulations by agmatine action on imidazoline receptors to opioid analgesia, tolerance and dependence, and its possible neurochemical mechanisms. We went on to propose that agmatine and imidazoline receptors constitute a novel system of modulating opioid functions.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets
DrugTargetKindOrganismPharmacological ActionActions
ArginineArginine decarboxylaseProteinHumans
Unknown
Not AvailableDetails