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enkephalin

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
enkephalin (ĕnkĕf`əlĭn), one of several naturally occurring morphinelike substances (endorphins endorphins (ĕndôr`fĭnz), neurotransmitters found in the brain that have pain-relieving properties similar to morphine.
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) released from nerve endings of the central nervous system and the adrenal medulla. They act as analgesics and sedatives in the body and appear to affect mood and motivation.

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Nicholas Bodor and his colleagues at the University of Florida in Gainesville sandwiched a naturally occurring pain-relief protein called enkephalin between a fatty acid and a molecule that becomes positively charged in the presence of enzymes found in the brain.
Indeed, endorphin and enkephalin production is stimulated by exercise.
According to Isabel Karle, the largest molecule so far analyzed by the direct method is the nervous system peptide, enkephalin, which consists of five amino acids and contains 230 carbon, nitrogen and oxygen atoms.
 
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