title: Dracunculus medinensis and Schistosoma mansoni contain opiate alkaloids.
abstract: The results of analysis, by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection and by nano-electrospray-ionization, double quadrupole/orthogonal-acceleration, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, indicate that adult Dracunculus medinensis and Schistosoma mansoni both contain the opiate alkaloid morphine and that D. medinesis also contains the active metabolite of morphine, morphine 6-glucuronide. From these and previous observations, it would appear that many helminths are probably using opiate alkaloids as potent immunosuppressive and antinociceptive signal molecules, to down-regulate immunosurveillance responsiveness and pain signalling in their hosts.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York, College at Old Westbury, 11568, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baggerman
authors.forename: W Evan
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Secor
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casares
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Pryor
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Fricchione
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Tiben
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Eberhard
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bimi
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Stefano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004321:Dracunculus Nematode / Q000737:chemistry*; D009020:Morphine / Q000032:analysis*; D009022:Morphine Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D009022:Morphine Derivatives; C035349:morphine-6-glucuronide; D009020:Morphine