Drugs that target opioid receptors sometimes have severe side effects. Thousands of people around the world die every day from overdoses involving opioids such as fentanyl. Researchers have taken a ...

Opioid receptors are proteins in the nervous system that interact with opioids. Opioid receptors are part of the endogenous opioid system. This is the body’s internal system for regulating pain, ...

One of the greatest revolutions in the field of pain medication was the isolation of morphine from the opium poppy in the 19th century. Morphine molecules act as painkillers by attaching themselves to ...

Two different versions of the mu-opioid receptor within a cellular membrane illustrate how the receptor changes its conformation to send a signal into the cell. Scientists captured six high-resolution ...

Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is one of the most important drugs in the United States’ fight against the opioid crisis. It reverses an opioid overdose nearly instantly, restarting ...

Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is one of the most important drugs in the United States' fight against the opioid crisis. It reverses an opioid overdose nearly instantly, restarting ...

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and University of Southern California provide funding as members of The Conversation US. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is one of the ...