@article { , title = {Opioid receptors in the GI tract: targets for treatment of both diarrhea and constipation in functional bowel disorders?}, abstract = {Opioids have been used for centuries, mostly as a sedative and to treat pain. Currently, they are used on a global scale for the treatment of acute and chronic pain in diseases as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and low back pain. Binding of opioids on opioid receptors can cause a range of different effects such as changes in stress response, analgesia, motor activity and autonomic functions. This review provide a synthetic summary of the most recent literature on the use of drugs acting on mu-receptors to treat two prevalent functional bowel disorders, presenting with opposite bowel habit. Eluxadoline and naloxegol, methylnaltrexone and naldemedine are recently FDA and/or EMA approved drugs demonstrated to be effective and safe for treatment respectively of irritable bowel syndrome subtype diarrhea and opioid induced constipation.}, doi = {10.1016/j.coph.2018.08.008}, issn = {1471-4892}, journal = {Current Opinion in Pharmacology}, note = {12 mo. embargo. OL 02.01.2019}, pages = {53-58}, publicationstatus = {Published}, publisher = {Elsevier}, url = {https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1438410}, volume = {43}, keyword = {Bio/Medical/Health - Clinical Medicine, Biomedical Research Centre, Pharmacology, Drug Discovery}, year = {2018}, author = {Pannemans, J. and Corsetti, M.} }