Opioid peptides or opiate peptides are peptides that bind to opioid receptors in the brain; opiates and opioids mimic the effect of these peptides. Such peptides may be produced by the body itself, for example endorphins. The effects of these peptides vary, but they all resemble those of opiates.

阿片肽（opioid peptides）是免疫系统中重要的调节因子，它几乎作用于所有的免疫活性细胞，对不同亚类的细胞作用不尽相同。 它们的释放受应激的影响，而应激影响免疫反应，提示阿片肽可能是应激引起免疫调节的介质。

Through these two mechanisms, endogenous opioid peptides produce many effects, ranging from preventing diarrhea to inducing euphoria and pain relief (i.e., analgesia). This article reviews the physiology of endogenous opioid peptides and their interactions with other neurotransmitters.

2023年6月12日 · Each opioid peptide has prepro- and pro-forms which are cleaved sequentially. Based on the cellular biological programs and needs, they are modified by post-translational events, including acetylation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, and methylation.

Opioid peptides bind with opioid receptors μ-, κ-, and δ- for activation [18]. They are known for a wide range of functions such as neuromodulation, sleepiness [19], and pain modulation [20, 21]. Except for casexins and lactoferroxins, which are opioid antagonists, the majority of peptide ligands are opioid agonists [22, 23].

An opioid peptide is a type of neurotransmitter molecule that acts as an endogenous ligand for opiate receptors in the central nervous system. These peptides, such as enkephalins and endorphins, play a crucial role in various functions including emotions, pain responses, and control of food intake.

This review focuses on reports of the analgesic and other behavioral effects of opioid peptides in animals following systemic administration, structural modifications that enhance the systemic activity of opioid peptide analogs, and also recent clinical trials of opioid peptides.

In this review, we focus on what is known and unknown about the regulation of the over two dozen endogenous peptides with high affinity for one or more of the opioid receptors. We briefly describe which peptides are produced, with a particular focus on the recently proposed possible synthesis pathways for the endomorphins.

Opioid peptides produced in the body act as neuro-modulators that modify the actions of other neuro-transmitters in the central nervous system. By altering the electrical properties of their target neurons, there-by making these neurons more difficult to excite, opi-oid peptides can influence the release of various neurotransmitters.

2019年4月30日 · Opioid peptides are known to play a role in analgesia, feeding, memory, motivation, immune responses and a variety of other functions. Opioid receptors serve as important drug targets and opioid peptide analogs are of interest for the treatment of pain and other conditions such as mood disorders and substance abuse (1).