Article: Morphine produced in the human brain.(Analgesics)(Martin Luther University)

Next time you get a headache, comfort yourself with the knowledge that your brain produces its own morphine.

'There can no longer be any doubt that the human organism is capable of synthesising one of the most potent analgesic compounds known,' said researchers at the Martin Luther University, Germany. This discovery has implications for the treatment of alcoholism, autism and other conditions.

Morphine was first isolated from poppies nearly 200 years ago, but its full function is still unclear. Not only is it a powerful painkiller, but it is also involved in the immune response and vascular system. 'This suggests that endogenous morphine could modulate ...

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