Progress in agmatine inhibiting opioid dependence / 国际药学研究杂志

Opioid addiction, also termed opioid dependence, is a chronic, relapsing disorder in brain, which induces a series of severe problems in the aspects of society, economy and public health. Because the neurobiological mechanisms of opioid dependence haven't been clarified, it lacks effective medical interventions. Researches on opioid dependence are focusing on clarifying its neurobiological mechanisms and discovering effective anti-relapse drugs. Agmatine is a candidate for neurotransmitter or neuromodulator, and considered as an endogenous ligand for imidazoline receptors. Based on our previous work, its pharmacological characteristics and possible mechanisms of agmatine inhibiting opioid dependence were reviewed.