止疼药是如何起作用的？TED给出了简单的解释。
每个人都能感觉到疼。但是由于现代医学，我们可以至少临时地减轻疼痛和其他原因引起的不适。George Zaidan解释了一般止疼用药如阿司匹林和布洛芬是如何起作用的。http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4fede4faecad04b415000004/pain.jpg
首先，你的身体感觉到疼痛。这可能是针刺，腿踢或者被热锅烫到了造成的。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd2bdecad046076000003-590/first-your-body-must-feel-pain-this-could-be-from-a-prick-of-a-needle-a-kick-in-the-shin-or-a-burn-from-a-frying-pain.jpg
当你的身体受损是，细胞释放出一种叫前列腺素的化学物质。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd531eab8ea3321000008-590/when-your-body-is-damaged-cells-release-a-chemical-called-prostaglandin.jpg
这种化学物质被叫做疼痛感受器的神经细胞感知。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd42f6bb3f75223000003-590/the-chemical-is-detected-by-nerve-cells-called-nociceptors.jpg
疼痛感受器广泛分布于皮肤、肌肉、腱、关节和某些内脏。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd4bbeab8ea3221000000-590/nociceptors-are-located-throughout-your-body-in-the-skin-muscles-tendons-joints-and-some-internal-organs.jpg
疼痛感受器发现这些化学物质后，将信号传输到大脑告诉你感觉到疼。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd4946bb3f78025000002-590/nociceptors-detect-this-chemical-and-send-signals-to-the-brain-telling-your-body-to-feel-pain.jpg
像阿司匹林和布洛芬这样的止疼药阻止细胞释放前列腺素——所以你的大脑就收不到感觉疼痛的信息。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd728eab8ea5123000009-590/pain-relievers-like-aspirin-and-ibuprofen-prevent-cells-from-releasing-prostaglandin--so-your-brain-doesnt-get-the-message-to-feel-pain-as-quickly.jpg
那是怎么工作的呢？前列腺素实际上是由一种叫花生四烯酸生成的。生成前列腺素要靠两种酶COX-1和COX-2。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd8596bb3f7aa2b000001-590/so-how-does-that-work-well-prostaglandin-is-actually-created-from-a-chemical-called-arachidonic-acid-this-is-converted-into-prostaglandin-by-two-enzymes-called-cox-1-and-cox-2.jpg
这两种酶有个部位叫活性部位，这里就是化合反应的地方。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedd88c69bedd524600000c-590/the-enzymes-have-a-place-called-the-active-site-which-is-where-reactions-happen.jpg
活性部位充满了花生四烯酸。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4feddc60eab8ea142e000011-590/the-active-site-fits-arachidonic-acid.jpg
阿司匹林通过进入活性部位，打断（如下图所示），并且阻止花生四烯酸进入活性部位。这就是COX-1和COX-2失去活性。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4feddcd9eab8ea6b3300000f-590/aspirin-works-by-entering-the-active-site-breaking-off-leaving-behind-that-tip-shown-in-the-graphic-and-making-it-impossible-for-the-arachidonic-acid-to-fit-this-deactivates-cox-1-and-cox-2.jpg
布洛芬，也被称为雅维和美林，工作机理类似，通过进入活性部位阻断酶工作。
http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4fedde16eab8ea3d3600000a-590/ibuprofen-also-known-as-advil-or-motrin-works-similarly-by-entering-the-active-site-and-blocking-the-enzyme.jpg
(翻译来自译言网)
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