Opioid modulator

Opioid Modulator

An Opioid Modulator (pronunciation: /ˈoʊpiɔɪd ˈmɒd.jʊ.leɪ.tər/) is a type of pharmaceutical drug that interacts with the opioid receptors in the body's central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract to produce various effects.

Etymology

The term "Opioid Modulator" is derived from "Opioid", which comes from the Greek words "opion" meaning "poppy juice", and "modulator", which is derived from the Latin word "modulatus", meaning "regulated".

Function

Opioid modulators work by either activating (agonists), blocking (antagonists), or both activating and blocking (partial agonists or mixed agonist-antagonists) opioid receptors. These drugs can be used to treat pain, diarrhea, and cough, as well as for their sedative and anesthetic effects. Some opioid modulators are also used in the treatment of opioid addiction.

Types of Opioid Modulators

There are several types of opioid modulators, including:

Opioid agonists: These drugs fully activate opioid receptors. Examples include morphine, fentanyl, and oxycodone.
Opioid antagonists: These drugs block the activation of opioid receptors. Examples include naloxone and naltrexone.
Partial opioid agonists: These drugs partially activate opioid receptors. An example is buprenorphine.
Mixed opioid agonist-antagonists: These drugs can both activate and block opioid receptors. An example is pentazocine.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Opioid modulator
Wikipedia's article - Opioid modulator

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Opioid modulator