endorphin

Term: endorphin

Origin: Anc Greek

endogenous morphine

ενδο/endo(=inside, within)

γεννώ/genno(=birth to)

μορφίνη/morphine

> Mορφέας/Morpheus (=the son of Sleep, and the god of dreams)

> μορφή/morphe(=shape, form) as Morpheus shaped or formed the dreams which appeared to the sleeper. (Ov. Met. xi. 635.). Morpheus brings prophetic dreams from the Gods to Kings, heroes and those in power. He is also the the nephew of Thanatos, the God of Death.

Coined

Choh Li (1913—1987)

by a Chinese-born U.S. biochemis Choh Li (1913—1987) of the University of California at Berkeley, refers to "morphine within", and was given to the endogenous morphine-like peptides that also originate from the pituitary hormone. Choh Hao Li was the scientist  who discovered and synthesised the  human pituitary growth hormone (somatotropin).

Definition

Endorphin is endogenous opioid peptides produced by the body and serves to suppress pain.