Products
No drugs containing the active ingredient dermorphin are currently approved in many countries.
Structure and properties
Dermorphin (C40H50N8O10, 802.9 g/mol) is a heptapeptide with the following sequence: Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH2 The oligopeptide has been isolated from the skin of South American tree frogs of the genus , e.g . What is special about this molecule is the presence of D-alanine, which is usually found in proteins of microorganisms rather than vertebrates. Dermorphin was first mentioned in the scientific literature in 1981 (Montecucchi et al., 1981). It can also be produced synthetically. The name is derived from for skin, from morphine and endorphin.
Effects
Dermorphin has analgesic properties. The effects are due to selective and potent binding to μ-opioid receptors. It binds to the receptor with a much higher affinity than morphine. However, dermorphin enters the central nervous system only to a small extent. Chemical modifications can be used to increase BBB permeability.
Indications
Currently, no medical indications exist. Derivatives could be used as analgesics.
Abuse
Dermorphine has been used in the past as a doping agent for horses in horse racing. The active ingredient or analogs could also potentially be abused as narcotics.
