National Geographic News
Christine Dell’Amore
Published April 26, 2010
Our bodies produce a small steady amount of natural
morphine, a new study suggests. Traces of the chemical
are often found in mouse and human urine, leading
scientists to wonder whether the drug is being made
naturally or being delivered by something the subjects
consumed. The new research shows that mice produce
the “incredible painkiller” — and that humans and other
mammals possess the same chemical road map for
making it, said study co-author Meinhart Zenk, who studies
plant-based pharmaceuticals at the Donald Danforth Plant
Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Disponível em: www.nationalgeographic.com. Acesso em: 27 jul. 2010.