Description

Natural products have an important role in the discovery of analgesic drugs along with the determining of the complex mechanisms involved in pain transmission and pain relief. Lately, several substances with antinociceptive actions have been purified from natural sources and further identified, resulting in novel structural classes and more understanding of the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of actions. Yet, natural products still hold great potential for the discovery of novel agents for treatment of pain disorders and potentially drug addictions with exciting pharmacological profiles (i.e. no side effects, no addictive potential). The aim of this chapter is to highlight some active compounds derived from natural sources that possess analgesic properties. Additionally, the identification of new compounds derived from natural sources could lead to great understanding of the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of action, which will be addressed in this chapter as well.

Chapter