Description

Opioids are natural, semi-synthetic, or synthetic molecules that interact with opioid receptors. Opioid receptors are expressed in different organs throughout the brain and body and control many aspects of body function, including pain, breathing, intestinal function, and even the size of the pupil. Opioid receptors cannot tell the difference between opioids that are made naturally by the body, such as endorphins, opioids that are produced by plants, such as heroin from the opium poppy or mitragynine from kratom (‘opiates’), or opioids that are created in a laboratory, such as fentanyl and loperamide (‘synthetic opioids’). While the terms ‘opioids’ and ‘opiates’ are sometimes used interchangeably, ‘opiate’ refers specifically to natural compounds, such as heroin or morphine, while opioids includes both naturally-occurring opiates and those created in a lab.