A Review on Analgesics: From Natural Sources

Abstract

Any group of drugs of diverse chemical structure and physiological effects which are commonly used for the relief of pain. To qualify as an analgesic a drug must selectively reduce or abolish pain without causing impairment of consciousness, mental confusion, incoordination or paralysis, or other derangements of the nervous system.

Opium is the best-known class of narcotic alkaloid analgesics, a drug obtained by extracting the juice of the poppy seed, and its most active alkaloid, morphine. Beside these their use as analgesic drugs, opiates have other biological effects such as sedation, pupillary constriction, suppression of cough reflex, respiratory depression, reduction of intestinal motility, impairment of segmental flexor reflexes, and decrease in body temperature. Another class of analgesic drugs, which are non-addictive, are the salicylates, the most common name are acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), and salicylate like drugs such as phenylbutazone (Butazolidine), indomethacin (Indocin), acetaminophen, and phenacetin. These drugs are most effective in relieving skeletal pain due to inflammation (such as arthritis). These drugs also have many other effects, such as reducing fever (antipyrexia) and preventing platelet agglutination. This review gives an idea for analgesics which obtained from different natural sources.

Key Words: Natural Analgesics, Opium, biological effects, Fever.