Possible Mechanism of Tolerance to Narcotic Drugs

Possible Mechanism of Tolerance to Narcotic Drugs

Contributor(s):
Axelrod, Julius, 1912-2004
Science
Publication:
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 10 August 1956
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Drug Tolerance
Narcotics
Genre(s):
Archival Materials
Articles
Abstract:
While working on the metabolism of narcotic drugs, Axelrod observed that repeated administration of drugs produced tolerance to the drugs, but also reduced the body's ability to demethylate them enzymatically. In this article, he proposed a mechanism for tolerance to narcotic drugs. According to Axelrod, his hypothesis--that the continuous interaction of narcotic drugs with the demethylating enzymes deactivated the enzymes and possibly even the receptors of narcotic drugs, thus decreasing the subject's response to narcotic drugs--stimulated considerable criticism from some of his colleagues.
Copyright:
This item may be under copyright protection; contact the copyright owner for permission before re-use.
Extent:
2 pages
NLM Unique ID:
101584577X10 (See in Profiles in Science)
Profiles in Science ID:
HHAAAJ
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101584577X10
Archival Collection:
The Julius Axelrod Papers (Profiles in Science)