NARCAN
Delivery
1) How is Narcan taken?
Narcan can be taken intravenously (through the bloodstream), through an injection into a muscle, or via a nasal spray.
2) Where does the drug need to go?
Narcan will typically go to the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord to reverse an overdose addiction to opioids or to prevent an overdose from happening. If received via a muscle injection or nasal spray, Narcan will flow through the muscle's bloodstream or the nasal cavities to reach the brain as well, and act as an antagonist against the effect of opioids or drugs.
3) What properties allow it to get there?
For Narcan to enter the bloodstream and block the effects of opioids, the medicine must react with blood in the bloodstream. Since Narcan is polar (due to uneven charge distribution) and since blood is polar (due to it mostly being comprised of water), the IMF of Induced Dipole-Induced Dipole would not allow it to fully integrate into the bloodstream. As a result, Narcan can swiftly enter and block the effect of opioids for sufficiently long times to receive medical attention in the event of an overdose.
4) How does the drug do its job?
In order to do its job, Narcan locates opioid receptors found in presynaptic terminals in nociceptive fibers. When activated by an opioid agonist (ie. morphine), the body will inhibit the channels that decrease cAMP levels, which slows down the body. This means slowing the heart rate, breathing, and immunity control of the body, which can be seriously fatal if immediate medical attention is not given. Therefore, when Narcan finds these receptors, it binds to the neurotransmitter receptors in the brain as an antagonist, blocking other molecules from coming in. This could potentially save the person's life, if administered in time. However, it's important to note that Narcan is not a cure for an opioid overdose, but rather serves as a time saver for medical professionals to save the patient.