Opioids are a class of analgesics commonly employed in the treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions. Apart from the analgesic effects, the opioids used in clinical practice may interfere with different physiological functions, including stress, temperature, respiration, endocrine activity, gastrointestinal activity, memory, mood, and motivation. These opioid-induced effects are produced by activating opioid receptors located in the central and peripheral nervous systems. These opioid receptors are an extensive family of receptors, including the Mu OPiate receptors (MOP, also indicated as MOR), the Delta OPiate receptors (DOPs or DORs), Kappa OPiate receptors (KOPs or KORs), and Nociceptin OPiate receptors (NOPs or NORs) also known as opioid-receptor-like receptor 1 (ORL1). Moreover, other opioid receptors such as the zeta, the epsilon, the lambda, and the iota opioid receptors have also been characterized.
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