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. 1980 Sep;77(9):5512–5514. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.9.5512

Analgesic activity of the naturally occurring heptapeptide [Met]enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7.

C E Inturrisi, J G Umans, D Wolff, A S Stern, R V Lewis, S Stein, S Udenfriend
PMCID: PMC350091  PMID: 6933569

Abstract

[Met]Enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 is an opiate-like peptide normally found in the the adrenal gland and brain that has analgesic (antinociceptive) activity when administered directly into the cerebral ventricles of mice. On a molar basis, [Met]-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7, with a median effective dose (ED50) of 38.5 nmol/mouse, is 8 times more potent than [Met]enkephalin. As with [Met]enkephalin, analgesic activity is blocked by naloxone and intravenous administration does not produce characteristic opiate effects in tests for analgesic, antidiuretic, or antidiarrheal activity. These findings suggest that [Met]enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 may be at least as important as the enkephalins in the postulated enkephalin system mediating pain and analgesia.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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