ATC Group: N01AH Opioid anesthetics

Alfentanil is a short-acting, synthetic, agonist at mu opioid receptors, used for anaesthesia in surgery.

Anileridine is an opioid receptor agonist belonging to the piperidine class with analgesic activity. By binding to and activating opioid receptors in the central nervous sytem (CNS), anileridine mimics the endogenous opioids resulting in a decrease of nociceptive neurotransmitters and eventually an analgesic effect. Anileridine is useful for the relief of moderate to severe pain. It may also be used as an analgesic adjunct in general anesthesia in the same manner as meperidine to reduce the amount of anesthetic needed, to facilitate relaxation, and to reduce laryngospasm. In addition, anileridine exerts mild antihistaminic, spasmolytic and antitussive effects.

Fentanyl is a potent µ-opioid analgesic with rapid onset of analgesia and short duration of action. Its primary therapeutic actions are analgesia and sedation and is approximately 100-fold more potent than morphine as an analgesic. Secondary effects of fentanyl on central nervous system (CNS), respiratory and gastro-intestinal function are typical of opioid analgesics and are considered to be class effects.

Phenoperidine is an opioid analgesic which is structurally related to pethidine (derivative of isonipecotic acid) and is used clinically as a general anesthetic.

Remifentanil is a selective mu-opioid agonist with a rapid onset and very short duration of action. The mu-opioid activity, of remifentanil, is antagonised by narcotic antagonists, such as naloxone.

Sufentanil is a synthetic opioid analgesic drug approximately 5 to 10 times as potent as its parent drug, fentanyl, and 500 times as potent as morphine. Structurally, sufentanil differs from fentanyl through the addition of a methoxymethyl group on the piperidine ring (which is believed to reduce duration of action), and the replacement of the phenyl ring by thiophene. The main use of this medication is in operating suites and critical care where pain relief is required for a short period of time. It also offers properties of sedation and this makes it a good analgesic component of anesthetic regimen during an operation