Prado W A
Departamento de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Braz J Med Biol Res. 2001 Apr;34(4):449-61. doi: 10.1590/s0100-879x2001000400003.
Calcium ions are widely recognized to play a fundamental role in the regulation of several biological processes. Transient changes in cytoplasmic calcium ion concentration represent a key step for neurotransmitter release and the modulation of cell membrane excitability. Evidence has accumulated for the involvement of calcium ions also in nociception and antinociception, including the analgesic effects produced by opioids. The combination of opioids with drugs able to interfere with calcium ion functions in neurons has been pointed out as a useful alternative for safer clinical pain management. Alternatively, drugs that reduce the flux of calcium ions into neurons have been indicated as analgesic alternatives to opioids. This article reviews the manners by which calcium ions penetrate cell membranes and the changes in these mechanisms caused by opioids and calcium antagonists regarding nociceptive and antinociceptive events.
钙离子在多种生物过程的调节中发挥着基础性作用，这一点已得到广泛认可。细胞质钙离子浓度的瞬时变化是神经递质释放以及细胞膜兴奋性调节的关键步骤。越来越多的证据表明，钙离子也参与痛觉和抗痛觉过程，包括阿片类药物产生的镇痛作用。阿片类药物与能够干扰神经元中钙离子功能的药物联合使用，已被指出是更安全的临床疼痛管理的一种有用替代方法。另外，减少钙离子流入神经元的药物已被指明可作为阿片类药物的镇痛替代物。本文综述了钙离子穿透细胞膜的方式以及阿片类药物和钙拮抗剂在痛觉和抗痛觉事件方面引起的这些机制变化。
