Prog Clin Biol Res. 1985 ; 192(): 363-70.

Analgesic properties of enkephalinase inhibitors: animal and human studies.

Ehrenpreis S.

D-phenylalanine, bacitracin and puromycin produce long-lasting, naloxone-reversible analgesia in mice. Analgesic potency parallels potency of these compounds as inhibitors of met-enkephalin degradation by mouse brain enzymes. D-phenylalanine potentiates acupuncture analgesia in mice and humans and has been used to ameliorate a variety of human chronic pain conditions.