title: Structural comparisons of meptazinol with opioid analgesics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mechanism of action of a potent analgesic, (+/-)-meptazinol.
  
  
  METHODS
  The structures of meptazinol enantiomers were compared with opioid pharmacophore and tramadol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither enantiomer of meptazinol fitted any patterns among the opioid pharmacophore and tramadol, although they did share some structural and pharmacological similarities. However, the structure superpositions implied that both enantiomers of meptazinol might share some similar analgesic mechanisms with typical opiate analgesics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meptazinol should have a different mechanism of action to known analgesics, which would be helpful in further investigations of meptazinol in the search for non-addictive analgesics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing-lai
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhui-bai
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008621:Meptazinol / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009020:Morphine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D021281:Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014147:Tramadol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008621:Meptazinol; D014147:Tramadol; D009020:Morphine