October 2020 in “Authorea (Authorea)” This review discusses the influence of androgens on opioid-mediated effects and calls for further research into their role in sex differences and potential therapeutic options for chronic pain and substance use disorders.
77 citations
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December 2010 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” This study found that human skin expresses proenkephalin, whose expression is upregulated by environmental stress and varies in pathological conditions, increasing in psoriasis and decreasing in melanocytic tumors.
January 2026 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” This review suggests that topically applied peptides may offer a promising alternative for managing pain in chronic wounds, with additional potential benefits of anti-inflammatory and regenerative activities, but acknowledges the challenges of delivering these peptides across damaged skin barriers.
183 citations
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January 1987 in “British Journal of Anaesthesia” This article discusses the long-standing use and safety of opioids in anaesthesia, noting that respiratory depression is a manageable side effect due to the availability of opioid antagonists.
123 citations
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May 2009 in “Journal of Neuroscience” In this study, researchers found that in late pregnancy, the neuroactive progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone inhibits HPA axis responses to immune challenges via an opioid-mediated mechanism.