Introduction: The opioid epidemic has become an immense problem in North America, and
despite decades of research on the most effective means to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) …

Background The past two decades have witnessed an epidemic of opioid use disorder
(OUD) in the USA, resulting in catastrophic loss of life secondary to opioid overdoses …

Biased agonism at G protein–coupled receptors describes the phenomenon whereby some
drugs can activate some downstream signaling activities to the relative exclusion of others …

Objective To formulate timely evidence-based guidelines for the management of opioid-
induced bowel dysfunction. Setting Constipation is a major untoward effect of opioids …

Despite proven clinical utility, buprenorphine has not been used widely for the treatment of
chronic pain. Questions about “ceiling effect” or bell-shaped curve observed for analgesia in …

The buprenorphine receptor binding profile is unique in that it binds to all three major opioid
receptors (mu, kappa, delta), and also binds to the orphan-like receptor, the receptor for …

Opioids evoke analgesia through activation of opioid receptors (predominantly the μ opioid
receptor) in the central nervous system. Opioid receptors are abundant in multiple regions of …

Buprenorphine is an opioid that has a complex and unique pharmacology which provides
some advantages over other potent mu agonists. We review 12 reasons for considering …

Fentanyl is a synthetic, highly selective opioid with many desirable physicochemical
properties, including a high lipophilicity and predictable pharmacokinetics. These properties …

Opioids such as morphine—acting at the mu opioid receptor—are the mainstay for treatment
of moderate to severe pain and have good efficacy in these indications. However, these …