Opioids and the gut: Pharmacology and current clinical experience

This article reviews the pharmacology and physiology of opiate receptors and the current and potential uses of opioid agonists and antagonists in clinical gastroenterology. μ-receptors are involved in motor and sensory functions, and their modulation is established for treatment of diarrhea. μ-antagonists have potential to reverse endogenous (e.g., post-operative ileus) or iatrogenic dysmotility (e.g., opioid bowel dysfunction). Modulation of the function of κ-receptors may be a novel approach to control visceral pain in functional gut disorders. Results of formal testing of novel opioid modulators are keenly awaited.