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University of Malaga scientists find way to improve morphine treatments

Scientists at the Department of Cell Biology of the University of Malaga have taken a step forward in the search for more effective treatments for pain with a new study that continues advancing in mitigating the addictive effects of morphine -one of the main drugs used for this purpose- as well as the development of analgesic tolerance to this drug.

9 Jul 2026

Opioid receptors caught in motion offering clues for safer painkillers

Scientists have known for decades that opioids relieve pain by binding to molecular switches in the brain called mu-opioid (pronounced "mew-opioid") receptors. What they didn't know - until now - was exactly what happens next.

5 Nov 2025

Researchers uncover key role of peri-LC neurons in the brain arousal system

A small cluster of cells deep within our brains, called the locus coeruleus, affects how awake and attentive we are, how we respond to stress, how we cope with anxiety and fear, and how we create memories and learn.

14 May 2025

Majority of naloxone recipients in NYC at high risk of overdose

The overwhelming majority of those in New York City who obtained a naloxone kit to counteract opioid overdose had a high need for the drug, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

16 Jan 2025

Prenatal cannabis exposure linked to increased risk of opioid addiction later in life

With the increased legalization of recreational cannabis, as many as 1 in 5 pregnant women in the U.S. are now using the drug to help with morning sickness, lower back pain or anxiety.

14 Nov 2024

Naloxone use by non-medical bystanders on the rise, but not fast enough

Use of a lifesaving drug to reverse opioid drug overdoses is growing, but not fast enough. That's according to new research in JAMA Network Open from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, College of Public Health and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

14 Oct 2024

Trump drastically inflates annual fentanyl death numbers

Former President Donald Trump claimed at a recent campaign rally that more than 300,000 Americans are dying each year from the synthetic opioid drug fentanyl, and that the number of fentanyl overdoses was the "lowest" during his administration and has skyrocketed since.

23 Aug 2024

UMSOM receives $29 million research award to improve health outcomes in people who inject opioid drugs

University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today that the school will receive a $29 million research award over four years from the National Institutes of Health to lead a multicenter trial that aims to improve health outcomes in people who inject opioid drugs and are hospitalized with infectious complications of their drug use.

11 Dec 2023

Ingestible capsule can monitor vital signs from within the patient's GI tract

Diagnosing sleep disorders such as sleep apnea usually requires a patient to spend the night in a sleep lab, hooked up to a variety of sensors and monitors.

17 Nov 2023

Xylazine can exacerbate the life-threatening effects of opioids, rat study shows

A new study in rats suggests that xylazine, the active ingredient in a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use, can worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids.

21 Jun 2023

Study reveals sharp increase in hospital encounters for benzodiazepine-related toxicity among youth

The rate of hospital encounters for benzodiazepine-related toxicity rose by 67 per cent for young adults (aged 19 to 24) and 44 per cent for youth (aged 18 or below) in Ontario between 2013 and 2020, according to a new study from ICES and Unity Health Toronto.

15 Jun 2023

UArizona Health Sciences researchers seek to improve opioid therapy while decreasing its side effects

University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers are taking the foot off the brake in their quest to improve opioid therapy while decreasing its side effects.

15 May 2023

Determining the role of the epigenetic enzyme, HDAC5, in an animal model

Substance use disorder (SUD) is an extremely difficult disorder to overcome, and many individuals with SUD return to regular use after repeated attempts to quit.

27 Feb 2023

New approach to pain management can reduce opioid use after urethroplasty

For men undergoing surgery to repair scarring in the urethra (urethroplasty), a new approach to pain management can reduce the need for strong opioid drugs without compromising pain control, reports a study in Urology Practice, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association.

21 Feb 2023

Study shortlists potential drug repurposing candidates to treat symptoms in ASD

Can you teach an old drug new tricks? Although drug treatments for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not currently available, could an existing drug provide a new treatment, even if it previously had no association with ASD? This was the question asked by a new study in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology. The researchers used a computer model that encompasses proteins involved in ASD and the way they interact.

12 Sep 2022

Opioid Drug News and Research

University of Malaga scientists find way to improve morphine treatments

Opioid receptors caught in motion offering clues for safer painkillers

Researchers uncover key role of peri-LC neurons in the brain arousal system

Majority of naloxone recipients in NYC at high risk of overdose

Prenatal cannabis exposure linked to increased risk of opioid addiction later in life

Naloxone use by non-medical bystanders on the rise, but not fast enough

Trump drastically inflates annual fentanyl death numbers

UMSOM receives $29 million research award to improve health outcomes in people who inject opioid drugs

Ingestible capsule can monitor vital signs from within the patient's GI tract

Xylazine can exacerbate the life-threatening effects of opioids, rat study shows

Study reveals sharp increase in hospital encounters for benzodiazepine-related toxicity among youth

UArizona Health Sciences researchers seek to improve opioid therapy while decreasing its side effects

Determining the role of the epigenetic enzyme, HDAC5, in an animal model

New approach to pain management can reduce opioid use after urethroplasty

Study shortlists potential drug repurposing candidates to treat symptoms in ASD

Key gene sheds light on how people develop tolerance to pain-relievers over time

Public health agencies adapt covid lessons to curb overdoses, STDs, and gun violence

Researchers receive $1.1 million to study the safety, efficacy of drug combination for chronic pancreatitis

Opioid use disorder treatment during pregnancy can minimize adverse impacts on the fetal brain

People with childhood trauma feel more euphoric when using morphine

Event guide: The Non-Opioid Pain Therapeutics Summit eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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