鸦片类药物名词释疑

Clarification of Terminology Associated with Opioids

在许多专业和非专业的文献中，关于鸦片类物质的名词常常被混淆错用。鸦片是指罂粟植物或其粗制提取物。鸦片制剂是指提纯的鸦片生物碱，或从自然鸦片生物碱修饰得到的衍生物。鸦片类药指所有能结合与鸦片受体而产生鸦片样反应的任何物质，包括自然的和衍生的生物碱，和内源性鸦片鸦片多肽 。
镇痛药指任何有镇痛作用的药物，包括鸦片类和非鸦片类镇痛药。麻醉药涵盖广泛而疏松的概念，指能导致神志改变，清醒度下降的物质，但不一定有镇痛的作用。把可卡因包括在麻醉药内理论上不甚合适，但美国联邦法中关于禁控药物的条款将可卡因列于麻醉药下，所以本文权从。

Misunderstandings and misuses of opioid related terminology are seen in both professional and lay publications. Opium refers to the plant of opium poppies, or the crude extract from the plant. Opiate refers to natural alkaloids from opium, or semisynthetic substances derived from natural opium. Opioid refers to any substance that can bind to opioid receptors and trigger biological reactions similar to opium, including natural or synthetic opioid alkaloids as well as endogenous opioid peptides. Analgesic refers to any medicine that can reduce pain. Narcotic is an overly inclusive concept, refers to substances that can alter cognition, suppress conscious level, may or may not be pain-relieving. Pharmacologically, cocaine should not be included in the category of narcotics. However, cocaine is listed under narcotics in U.S. federal laws regarding controlled substances.