Pentazocine is an opioid agonist and partial antagonist (1/50 antagonist activity of nalorphine). Synthetic opioid belongs to benzomorphan group, introduced in the market first in 1967. A compound extracted from natural opium latex (papaver somniferum) are opiate but synthetic substances that act as opiates are called opioids, This term opioid was first used in 1960. opioid receptors are distributed in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.
There are 3 main opioid receptors mu, kappa and delta. The opioid effect can be reversed by naloxone and naltrexone, thus the effect of pentazocine is much more seen in nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. opioid agonist inhibits ascending pain pathway, thus causes an alteration in response to pain. Pentazocine acts within 15 to 20 minutes by intramuscular route and in IV within 2 to 3 minutes and its…
