Opioids slot into opioid receptors and activate them. This sends signals to your brain to relieve pain and promote pleasure. Both endogenous opioids, which your body naturally produces, and exogenous ...

Having a pill that alleviates chronic pain without adverse side effects or the risk of addiction remains an unmet pharmaceutical need for millions of people currently using traditional opioid drugs.

New research could transform how we understand the way opioids affect the brain. Despite significant discussion surrounding the ongoing opioid crisis, current understanding of how opioids function in ...

Addressing overdoses from “street drugs” containing potent synthetic opioids poses a key challenge when utilizing opioid antagonists. A standard approach to known or suspected opioid overdose includes ...

Opioid antagonists are medications people can take to treat opioid use disorder. They help by reducing withdrawal symptoms, addressing cravings, and managing overdoses. Doctors prescribe opioid ...

Dornsife researchers created 3D models of opioids hitting brain receptors, and of naloxone stopping the receptors from activating. (Henry Kofman / Daily Trojan file photo) The opioid crisis has killed ...

Increasing the levels of chemicals naturally produced in the body called endocannabinoids may thwart the highly addictive nature of opioids such as morphine and oxycodone while maintaining the drugs' ...